And if we dream
by Cheekbonesandcoatcollar
Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always."  DM/OC
1. Prologue

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

At the age of eleven, Avery Greenwood received her invitation to join Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. As a pureblood, she had spent most of her childhood awaiting just this, having heard stories of the wonderful castle miles away from home, her bedtime stories read to her by various nannies and babysitters consisting of magical moving staircases, talking portraits like those in her own home of various Greenwood ancestors, a wizard headmaster, more good and more powerful than any other in the Wizarding world. As she clutched her letter to her chest beaming towards her mother, she merely received a response of a haughty eyebrow lifted in her direction and the words, "We'll buy your things soon."

That night, her latest nanny of six years, Matilda, had gushed how proud she was and how she was sure without any shadow of a doubt that Avery would make her proud. Matilda had always been more of a mother to Avery than her actual mother, holding her, drying her tears, pretty much raising her and Avery had no doubt that it would be Matilda who took her to purchase her school supplies.

Two days after receiving the letter, she clutched tightly to Matildas hand as they meandered their way through the crowds of Diagon Alley. Avery saw, around her, numerous children her own age, all sporting the same expectant fear and curiosity on their young faces. Across the road from her, she saw a large family, all sporting bright orange hair, shades lighter than her own deep red colour, the mother bickering with two boys who looked identical to each other. The mother, though she was arguing, gesturing wildly with her hands, had a loving glint in her eyes as she appraised her children. Avery felt the usual tug in her stomach at the obvious displays of affection she had never gleamed from her own mother, or her father who had died when she was just two. Her step father had never cared for her much either.

On their continued search for supplies she saw familiar wizarding families and of course those that she didn't recognise, she saw a young dark haired boy carrying a snow white owl in a cage, accompanied by an abnormally tall ,hairy man with a booming voice, a bushy haired brunette, dragging her parents, who wore muggle clothing and were staring wide eyed, through the alley way spouting off random facts about each shop they passed. A haughty, baby face boy with white blonde hair being fitted with the most expensive looking robes she had ever seen, through the window of Madame Maukins, a chubby, buck toothed boy being scolded by an older lady to whom he looked remarkably similar, she guessed they were grandmother and grandson. "It's rather wonderful isn't it Avery?" Matilda gushed, "I remember when I was your age and my mother brought me here before my first year. I was a Hufflepuff you know. The most gentle of houses."

"What house do you think I'll be in, Matilda?" Avery asked gently, peering through a dirty window at the animals behind it.

"You could be in any house dear, you could be brave and courageous and loyal like a Gryffindor, or sly, cunning and ambitious like a Slytherin, you could be gentle, tolerant and loyal like a Hufflepuff or you could be intelligent, creative, witty like a Ravenclaw. You have the whole world ahead of you dear." Avery smiled gently as her nanny squeezed her hand.

"No. I don't think so." she replied, having mentally chosen the black kitten inside the shop window and trailing Matilda into the shop to purchase it, "I think I'll be in Slytherin like mum and like all the other members of her family." The young girl missed the sadness that flicked across her nannies face at that very resigned statement, too enthralled was she by the kitten she had yet to purchase.

Matilda was not able to accompany Avery to platform 9 ¾ when the day came, but she had written Avery a lengthy letter, promising to keep in touch and see her soon, which had brought a wistful tear to the childs eyes. Instead, her mother had, albeit begrudgingly, accompanied her and when the time came to board the train she did not receive a gentle kiss and a wish of good luck like the other children around her did, instead she was told in a harsh tone, "Do me proud." Which she knew to mean, Be the best Slytherin you can be. She was then sent on her way, into the throws of students as the train whistled its imposing departure above her.

Inside, children of all ages, some like her but most older, chatted and squealed with excitement, she saw the ginger family, some of them anyway bustling into one compartment, another ginger following the dark haired boy she had seen with the giant in Diagon Alley into another. She had deduced, in the time between her supply trip and now that this had to be the Weasley family. The family her mother called blood traitors and spoke of like she would a piece of trash, sometimes Avery just could not understand her mothers ideals. She did not have many wizard friends of her own, her mother choosing to have her home schooled before attending Hogwarts, so as other children found familiar faces and joined friends in compartments, Avery found herself at a loss. "Hello there." a voice said from behind her, and as Avery turned she was met with the face of the bushy haired girl she had seen on her supply run, "I'm Hermione Granger, It's my first year. Who are you?"

"Avery Greenwood."

"Greenwood? I've heard of your family. Purebloods aren't you? Notorious Slytherins, though I think only on your mothers side. Why did you not take your fathers name?" Avery opened her mouth to reply but was instead met by another verbal race, "Anyway, you should think about putting on your robes in an hour or so. If you'd like, you could help me, see I'm looking for a toad." At a loss Avery nodded and followed behind the girl who had already started on her way down the train. She would stop every now and then, to peek into compartments as the bushy haired brunette spoke to other people for no longer than a few minutes. The next cabin they stopped at contained the pair she had seen previously, talking contentedly, various piles of sweets and open wrappers littering around them, the ginger held his wand in his hand, pointed towards a squeaking rat that sat in his lap. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville has lost one."

"No." was her only reply before she barrelled on with, "Oh. Are you doing magic? Lets see then." Avery crowded behind her, eager to see some magic from people who looked like first years, something she would hopefully be able to do soon. The ginger cleared his throat and said, "Sunshine daisy, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" Avery frowned, wondering if that was a real spell and it seemed Hermione shared her sentiments and decided to voice her opinion as she took a seat opposite the boys in the compartment pulling out her wand. Avery watched avidly as the girl spoke a spell and the boy with glasses marvelled at how he could now she clearly without them. Her attention really peaked however, when the girl exclaimed, "Holy cricket! You're Harry Potter!" Avery had heard of Harry Potter, as had the rest of the wizarding world. The boy who lived. The boy, who as a small child had defeated the darkest wizard the world had ever seen without ever lifting a finger. She'd turned her attention, with barely hidden disgust towards the ginger as he introduced himself as "Ron Weasley." extending his introduction to Avery who still stood in the doorway.

"Avery Greenwood." She'd thrown in quickly at Harry Potters questioning.

"Greenwood Aye?" Ron asked, mouth still full, "Suppose you shouldn't be talking to me then."

"I don't mind." Avery replied with a small smile, well used to the reactions she got from the public.

Hermione stood to leave and gestured for Avery to follow, who mumbled a goodbye to the boys and followed eagerly. Well aware that her new found friend was probably completely crazy.

Once they reached the castle, even Hermiones random facts and information was replaced with gasps of awe, the two girls followed the crowds as they filed from the train, Averys own reaction to the hairy giant that stood before them only marginally less shocked than the other students around her. "Hello Hagrid." Harry Potter smiled somewhere ahead. The giant man led them, by light of lantern to a platoon of wooden boats on the edge of the lake that separated the platform from the school. Tall lanterns held in the boats illuminated the students faces as every child gawped up at the looming brick structure of the school as they approached. Numerous spires, towers and structural parts piercing the cloudy sky above them, the moonlight barely shining through the cover of darkness, if Avery weren't so enthralled then she may have found the whole thing just a little scary. "Isn't it fantastic?" Hermione whispered in he ear and all she could do was nod in reply, the stories people had told her of this fantastic place paled to nothing in comparison to the real thing. Avery knew that this was a moment she would never forget. Once inside the gaggle of students climbed various stair cases, gazing earnestly at the portraits that greeted them with Welcomes and waves, some of the bolder students even voiced hellos back. At the top of one of the larger flights a stern looking witch met them with a curt, "Welcome to Hogwarts." she then proceeded to explain the uses of the four school houses and what they considered families. She was still grimacing with embarrassment at Neville Longbottom's exclamation at finding his toad when a voice called, "So It's true then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." Averys eleven year old self preened that she knew of this information before the others, as murmurs and gasps echoed around them. "This is Goyle, this is Crabbe." The blond she recognised from Diagon Alleys most expensive shops said smugly, "And I'm Mafoy, Draco Malfoy."

Avery blanched at the name, as he towered over Harry Potter, her mother spoke very highly of the Malfoy family, which automatically meant Avery was not to keen to meet or anger any of them, not even this immaculately kept, slightly arrogant eleven year old before her. If she had known what was coming she would have retrained Ron Weasley whom she stood next to in the front row, instead the red head laughed and the blondes face distorted in anger. "Think my names funny do you?" he growled, "No need to ask yours, red hair," Avery frowned at this part thinking of her own, "and a hand me down robe, you must be a Weasley." The boy turned his gaze to other students taking them in one by one, as his eyes landed on Avery he smirked again, taking in her own deep shade of red hair, "And are you a Weasley too?"

"No. I'm a Greenwood." she replied after a moment, she was unsure whether he would know of her name. He raised an eyebrow, "Better than a Weasley then." He shot his eyes to Ron and at the gingers lack of reply he turned his attention back to the boy-who-lived and said, "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others Potter." Avery grimaced at the way he spat the name, "You don't want to go making friends with the _wrong_ sort. I can help you there." Avery realised that this was some kind of warped friend ship proposal as the blond held out his hand which much to the front rows relief the scarred boy refused "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself thanks." Avery suppressed a cheer and she could sense Ron feeling the same way next to her by the way he straightened out his posture.

As the stern witch led the newcomers back into the hall Avery forgot all about the commotion tat had just transpired and trailed behind Hermione as she explained the magic behind the floating candles above their heads. Hundreds of students stared unabashedly at the newest students, each house easily identifiable, not only by the expressions on the students faces but by the coloured robes each student wore. Green, red, yellow and blue. They stopped, stepping on robes and other students as everybody strained to look at the oddly simple stool and plain black hat that dominated the stage like area where the witch now stood. Avery became completely engrossed instead by the ancient looking wizard that she introduced as Dumbledore, his voice was hoarse, his hair and beard the purest white she had ever seen and he held a knowing twinkle in his eyes. As he welcomed the students and explained the school rules, Avery remembered the wonderful tales she had heard of this very wizard, and had she not known better she would have believed them to be bogus upon sight of such a frail old man. But Matilda did not lie and her mother would not have such a degree of disgust for the man if the stories were not true. Soon, names were read from a long scroll of parchment, and various house names sounded from the speaking hat, "Slytherin. Ravenclaw!" Each time a house gained a new student, loud applause and cries would erupt from said tables, each time the cries louder, rivalling even the biggest of crowds.

"Ronald Weasley!" Avery had no doubt that he would be placed in Gryffindor, not only did the rest of his siblings sit at that table, but she thought he was nothing like Slytherin, not when the likes of Draco Malfoy were being sorted there before the hat had hardly touched their heads, and he was definitely not a Hufflepuff. As much as she was already fond of Ron, she didn't believe him smart enough to be a Ravenclaw, she'd heard many stories of the genius of some of those house members. Sure enough another student joined the Gryffindor table to rowdy applause. "Avery Greenwood." She swallowed loudly at the mention of her name, and made her way onto the platform, heart in a dilemma. She knew, knew she would be placed into Slytherin with Draco Malfoy and the two bigger kids who had flanked him but whose names she had forgotten. She knew she would be in the house of the snake whilst her newest friends, apart from Harry who had yet to be sorted but whom she guessed would also be in Gryffindor, would be in her most rivalled house. Yet, she would not ask to be sorted, not like she had heard other students do so, she would be placed where the hat decided and she would hope that it was indeed Slytherin like her mother expected. Se climbed onto the stool, legs too short to reach the floor.

"A Greenwood Aye?" The hat asked, "A Greenwood. But different. You are different than those before you. Hmmm." There was a pause in which Avery felt a cold sweat break out across her forehead. "Gryffindor!"

Avery blinked as the hat cried the name of the house, her friends and the rest of the table cheering and beckoning her over. She walked, as if in a trance towards the table and said nothing as Ron, his brothers and Hermione included her excitedly in their conversation. She did not even break from her thoughts as the hall stopped to see the-boy-who-lived sorted into the bravest of houses. Concentrating solely on how she was to explain to her mother that she was sorted into the entirely opposite house than was expected. Her face paled as she thought of possible replies and out comes, and as Hermione commented that she looked quite sick, she merely smiled and began drafting the letter in her mind, too ill to even think of eating the delicious looking food that appeared before her.

She received no reply from her mother, no owl, no howler, nothing. Never through the years did her mother comment on any disappointment she felt towards her daughter, nor did she change her distance or aloofness. She did not tell Avery that she was proud when she received a letter explaining Averys hand, along with Harry, Ron and Hermione in retrieving the Philosophers stone from Professor Quirrell and Voldemort. Nor did she comment on Averys friendship with a Weasley, a muggle born and the boy-who-lived. Over time, Avery came to believe that her mother and step father were both resigned to the fact that she would never be what they had expected. It wasn't until fourth year that she realised why. Matilda, however, though she was realeased as her nanny continued to be a constant in Averys life and constantly exclaimed to Aery how proud she was. She was the one to whom Avery wrote in despair when the teachers had found Hermiones petrified body in second year. Matilda was constantly supportive of Averys friendship in second year and Avery quickly settled into a routine. In second year she followed the spiders with Harry and Ron.

In third year she shook with fear as the air in their compartment froze around them and the sleeping stranger who shared the compartment with them. She didn't scream as the dementors entered their compartments, freezing bony fingers reaching towards the students inside, the feeling of utter despair washing over her as it did the other occupants, watching in awe as the bright light from the wand, of whom she later found was her new DADA teacher, repelled the beast before them. She cowered, with the others as Remus and Sirius Black fought eventually uncovering Rons pathetic rat to be Peter Pettigrew, the traitor who had betrayed Harrys parents all those years ago. Strangely, Avery did not feel scared as Remus Lupin, who had become her favourite teacher in the entire school, transformed before them, instead she'd felt that Lupin wouldn't hurt anybody he knew. She'd watched in horror however as Harry and Hermione had disappeared before her eyes and been forced to run for safety. She had been suitably saddened when Professor Lupin had retired and Sirius had, had to leave them to go into hiding.

In forth year, she had survived the Death eater attack at the Quidditch word cup then watched in horror as Harry completed the Tri wizard tasks. She had mourned along with the rest of the students after Cedric Diggory's death. But the turning moment of forth year, for Avery alone, had been when Harry had taken her aside, "Avery." he murmured, "Your mother. She was there that night. She's one of them."

Avery hadn't been surprised, if anything she had expected such news. The first day back at home after the year had finished, she had owled Matilda, packed all of her belongings and moved into her old nannies home. She received no reluctance from her family, no letters denying her the privilege of moving away. No word at all. She saw nothing of them, until fifth year, she had joined Dumbledores Army, the rise against Dolores Umbridges reign in Hogwarts. Then, after one of Harrys visions, she had joined the boy wizard, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville in the flight to the Department of Mysteries, where she had met her mother again. Mary Greenwood, looked more haggard and more evil than she ever had before, stood between Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix LeStrange. She had watched in horror as Sirius's life had left him due to Bellatrixes wand and she had felt the warm tears on her cheeks as Harry had fought against Lupins restraining grip, then against Voldemort himself and as they made their way to the train to return to their respective homes and Harry had told them that they had something worth fighting for: Love, she realised that despite everything, her family being the enemy, her friends lives constantly endangered and no doubt in her mind that a lot more danger and pain was to befall them all, she wouldn't change a thing in the world.

It was sixth year, however, when it began. In the years to come Avery would look back and say that the blame could only be placed on the rain, on the school syllabus for prescribing all students the same textbooks, on the library for being too packed with students who stared their way for them to make sure they had their own possessions. On Draco Malfoy, for reading his book so avidly that he did not see her walking towards him. On herself, for the same reason. The blame could be placed on many things, many different coincidences and situations, but whatever the reason, it was the day Avery picked up Draco Malfoys textbook that everything began to change.

**-….-**

**So what did you think? This was just a general outline and the main story will start next chapter from sixth year. Please let me know if you could.**

**Constructive criticism is welcome. Thank you.**


	2. My name is Avery Greenwood

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 2- My name is Avery Greenwood**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**This is a sort of look into Avery as a person and her first person feelings on everything so far, then we'll start from sixth year next chapter.**

**-….-**

_**HOGWARTS YEAR ONE.**_

_My name is Avery Greenwood._

_Matilda once told me that it is sometimes good for someone to write down their innermost thoughts and ideas. Not like a diary because I think she knows I'd give up after a few weeks. More of a one off thing, a sort of venting, or a huge session of telling nothing but the truth. She also said I had to send it to her once I was finished, for proof I guess, or maybe just because she's really nosey. Kidding! It's some kind of thing she did when she was my age, she was bullied by the Slytherins a lot for being in Hufflepuff. Personally I wouldn't have minded being a Hufflepuff. If I had been sorted there I would probably have waited to tell my mum to her face, then I could have watched her pass out!_

_But, venting and complaining isn't my thing, not really, not when I have Ron to do enough complaining for the whole of Gryffindor and Hermione to shut him up again. Yes. I'm a Gryffindor, unlike my mother. I don't know how she reacted to the news, she never owled me back. Though I'm guessing she wasn't too happy with it. To be honest I didn't even think it would be so important! Mum had never really had many Slytherin traits herself, sure she doesn't like me very much, then again she doesn't like many people and she's got snobbish views and is quite rude but shes not a bad person. Not really. Maybe._

_Anyway, ignoring the looming presence in my life that is my mum, I'm quite happy to be in Gryffindor. My friends are there, Hermione Granger, she'd really smart, should have been a Raven claw I think. Ron Weasley, well his second name tells you all you need to know really. Neville Longbottom, Fred and George and Harry Potter, the Harry Potter, who is a lot more normal than I would ever have imagined, to be honest I don't think he realises how famous he actually is!_

_The lessons here arent too bad. Transfiguration with McG is great, I wouldn't mind turning into a cat myself. Potions, is, well , I'm not really sure yet. Snape likes to unfairly take house points from Gryffindor then give them to his own house, but like I said, I wont complain, I could be in his house with people like Draco Malfoy and his chubby goonies that don't seem to have their own brains. So house points are a small matter really. Apart from that, Snapes not so bad. I don't like him! Don't jump to conclusions! I just don't think he is as bad as everybody else does that's all, but of course we've only done half the year so we'll have to see what happens wont we. So.. Matilda… yes I know you've read this whole thing and not burned it straight away like you promised, yes I am having a great time. Yes I do love it here. Ill see you soon._

_**HOGWARTS YEAR TWO**_

_There's a muggle saying isn't there? Things can only get worse before they get better? Or something like that. Well, things definitely got worse. Hermione, who I consider my best friend, is in the hospital wing, petrified. They called me, Harry and Ron there late one night. She didn't die- cause she only saw it through the mirror. It's attacking half bloods and muggle borns so I know I'm safe but a lot of my friends' aren't. Now Rons little sister Ginny is missing. They say she has been taken to the Chamber of secrets. A place supposed to be a myth and yet she's there. She's so young, Ginny is, first year, doesn't understand a lot of things Ron's beside himself with fear and without Hermione around there isn't much me and Harry can do, 'Mione always has been the smartest one after all. We have theories, at least we did, Malfoy was our first accusation. It's not him though. Ok. So we had one theory. Ron has faith though, that Harry will sort this, he's parcel mouth after all and if this things just a big snake then surely he's got some chance. I'm sure we'll all be fine Matilda. I'll owl you as soon as I can._

_**HOGWARTS YEAR THREE**_

_I think its going to be a pattern. If your friends with Harry Potter nothing will be simple and things will more than likely get worse year after year. And I say that in the most loving way possible. Course I didn't get told any of this 'til we were on the train cause I'm not aloud to go places in the holidays unless they're family events. Anyway, some prisoner has escaped from Azkaban and is trying to kill Harry. That's what I get told before Ive even had a chance to take a seat, next to some guy whose asleep. Then, not five minutes later it goes cold and I feel this utter, despair, like I'll never feel loved or whole, and then something, so inhuman is reaching into the compartment, and its concentrating on Harry but I can see Ron and Hermione are feeling this despair too, like our worst fears have come to life in front of our eyes. Then everything bright and when we can see again the guys putting his wand away and waking Harry who must have passed out. That chocolate looks good though._

_Turns out he's Remus Lupin, new DADA teacher. Seems like a good man. The dementors, the things on the train will be staying at Hogwarts because they think Sirius Black, the escapee will be coming here. I hope not. That's all Harry needs, some other weirdo trying to kill him. Of course Malfoy and his Slytherins are having a field day with this, any chance they get they'll mock Harry for passing out. Though I hard a rumour that Malfoy ran screaming into Fred and Georges compartment, could be true, hopefully it is, but you never know with those twins. _

_Lupins classes are amazing, much better than that extremely good looking but totally useless burke we had last year. We fought boggarts. They manifest your worst fears and you can use a spell to repell them, turns out I'm scared of clowns. Who'd've thought it? Considering I've never seen one. Neville was scared of Snape, Ron of spiders, Malfoy of, well strangely enough his own father and Harry of dementors. When Lupin faced it, it became the moon, I never did get why 'til much later on._

_I'll never admit it, but I was one of the few students who didn't laugh when the Hippogriff in Hagrids class went all mental at Malfoy. Sure the git deserved it, but no one deserves an injury and now there's this whole lawsuit thing and Buckbeak may have to die. Poor creature. Matilda said once that you've got to stick by your friends which has to be why I keep getting into these predicaments with them. It turns out Rons rat Scabbers is actually the guy who betrayed Harrys parents all those years ago. Sirius Black is the good guy and Lupin is a werewolf- explains the moon fear I guess. He transformed in front of us, nearly bit Hermione as she, stupidly, went towards him. Then Harry and Hermione disappeared, leaving me with Ron, who was bitten, and a werewolf. Thinking about it now I feel sort of betrayed, I had always assumed that they would need me, yet neither even turned to look at me before they used Hermiones time turner to sort things out. I haven't mentioned it. Probably wont. They surely just wanted me to watch out for Ron. I'm a little down that Lupin quit too, thinking the kids wouldn't like the idea of a werewolf teaching them. I said no one has to know, but he's a good guy like that and wont stay. Sirius is safe, Buck beaks alive and Harry didn't die. Though the rat did get away. _

_**HOGWARTS YEAR FOUR**_

_Harry is a Tri Wizard champion. He's fourteen, far too young to have put his name in. But Ron wont listen, and they're fighting and me and Hermione are sort of torn between them, though I can sense her heading closer to Ron, so I tend to stay with Harry more, because its only fair right? He's got to face Cedric Diggory, the cute Hufflepuff we met at the Quidditch world cup before the Death eaters attacked. Also Fluer Delacore and Viktor Krum from the other schools. He's too young, but once your name is called you have no way of backing out. Some think that he found a way past the age barriers, but even Fred and George couldn't do that so how could Harry have? Others think someone else put his name there in some sinister plot. Looking back on the years it is more than likely the latter. Nothing is innocent or safe when it comes to Harry Potter. Who thought of these challenges anyway? Bloody dragons and golden eggs and mer-people and mazes and stupid spells that could and did get someone killed. Though of course it wasn't the tournament that killed Cedric Diggory, it was Voldemort (Sorry Matilda, I mean You Know Who). He's back. Harry saw him, fought him, suffered at his hands again. He says the ghosts of his parents and then Cedric saved him. It would sound ridiculous in a muggle story but here, where ghosts roam the school halls on first name basis with the students its more than plausible. He told me something else too, Harry, something that should have shocked me, but didn't. I guess I had always known , the way she spoke of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange and the way she spoke of Slytherins. Did you know Matilda? Mums a death eater. She was there when they stole Harry. When they brought back Vo- Him. Said she looked like me but older, I did suppress the 'no shit' that just called to burst forth. I kinda wish he hadn't seen her, they all sort of look at me weird now, like I am going to break down in tears at any moment, or turn into a death eater myself. I guess I don't see Draco Malfoy as that much of a monster anymore, it must have been hard for him all his life, people knowing of his father allegiance to the Dark Lord. But then there he is now, snarling at us from across the room. I take it back Matilda. I hate him again. As soon as I get home, I'm packing my things and moving with Matilda. _

_**HOGWARTS YEAR FIVE**_

_Sirius is dead. Everything's still sort of numb for us all, like no one can really grasp what just happened, I can only imagine how Harry must be feeling right now. We're hurting and we barely knew him, not like Harry did. The poor boy just seems to lose everyone he loves, all we can do now is be there for him. Be there and give him what he needs. He's fifteen years old and what he went through at the Department on Mysteries was as unbelievable to watch as it probably was for him to go through. Voldemort inside his head, conquering it all with love. It seems too magical to believe, like one of the stories Matilda would tell me before bed time, except right now theres no happy ending in sight, the only good to come from all of this is that Dumbledore is headmaster again and we've gotten our teachers back. Umbridge is finally gone. The evil hag. Fred and George are gone too though, decided not to come back even though Dumbledore would have allowed them to. We already miss the comic relief they brought. Dumbledores army has sort of merged with the Order of the Phoenix especially after our escapades at the department of Mysteries. Mother was there, with Malfoys dad and aunt. If we think about it, Luna, Neville, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Harry and myself wouldn't have stood a chance if Sirius, Lupin and the order hadn't arrived. Which is the hardest part I think, if we hadn't needed them, they wouldn't have been there and maybe Harrys godfather would still be alive now. It was Bellatrix who threw the curse, Lupin who held Harry in his grief, Dumbledore who fought Voldemort and Harry who ultimately won. The rest of us, we just sort of stood there, what could we have done? Hermione was crying, so was I, and even Luna didn't look as untroubled as usual. Harry said something, something I think we all agreed on. We have something, that Voldemort doesn't. We have love, friendship, loyalty. But like I said before, I cant see a happy end in sight to this story Matilda. Things are happening too quickly. People are dying, hurting and losing things. As Harry said, we have love, but doesn't that also mean that we have more to lose then? I'm scared. _

**-….-**

**So a little glimpse at the vulnerable side of Avery too. Please let me know what you think.**


	3. The beginning

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 3- The beginning.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**This is the beginning I guess- Thanks to those who have put this alert and have reviewed and favourited when its barely started yet. Thanks for the faith! If you could all review too I'd be even more thankful!**

**-….-**

"Blimey." Avery gushed as she stepped into the chaos that was the newly completed Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, "How do they come up with half of this stuff?" To her left she saw a kid climbing vertically up a wall, another suffering the effect of puking pastels, bright firework like lights zooming through the air. What Avery would give to have just a pinch of the twins creativity. The laughter around her seemed to be a brilliant remedy to the darkness that had been hanging over the wizarding world lately, the attacks on the muggle world a sore topic for anybody. She craned her neck, searching for her three best friends who she had arranged to meet here today. She was a few minutes late and figured they had all been swept up into the craziness of it all. The shop reeked of the twins and their brilliance, which was second to none, which was to say that most of the products people were buying was more than likely to set off on the buyer rather than whoever they had intended it for. A second kid emptied his guts into a small cauldron as instant proof to her observation. As brilliant as everything here was she longed to see her friends more than anything, a few letters here and there over the holidays was not sufficient enough and she was glad for the few days she would be able to spend at the Weasleys before they were to return to Hogwarts. She made her way through the crowds and climbed one of the smaller wooden staircases, as she reached the top and luminescent pink light caught her eye, but it was the pink tinted face above it that caught her eye, "Hermione!" she called, a huge smile breaking out across her face. Her friend had her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and looked more than uncomfortable next to the love potions. A small frown marred her face as she glanced around for whomever had called her name. "Over here!" Avery called as she pushed through s group of kids she recognised to be third year Ravenclaws. Hermione turned towards her voice, and grinned as she noticed her friend fighting her way towards her. "Avery!" She cried, pulling the red head into a hug, "How have you been? I was hoping you would get here soon!"

"It's manic in here isn't it?" Avery asked, gesturing around the shop, "Are Harry and Ron here?"

"Of course, Ginny too, Rons with the twins somewhere, trying to get money off the products. Harry disappeared into the crowd somewhere." she explained.

"Have you bought anything?" She glanced at the potions they stood beside, "A love potion maybe? Though I sure you wouldn't need a potion to bag Ron."

"Bag Ronald?" Hermione spluttered, "Avery! I cant believe you would.."

"Ave? Merlin! I ain't seen you in a while!" Rons voice interrupted the scalding that was sure to spill from Hermiones mouth. Avery would always be thankful for his impeccable timing. "I missed you too Ron." she grinned as she pulled him into a hug, "Thanks for letting me stay at yours before we go back to school."

"Of course. Ive been asking you for years Avery."

"Where's Harry?" she asked as the red head let her go.

"He's around here somewhere." Ron shrugged lazily, heading towards where he had just spotted his brothers and Avery and Hermione made to follow.

"Some of this stuff has to be illegal." Avery mumbled, gawping at a second year Hufflepuff who seemed to have been stretched a mile longer than was natural, he could probably give Hagrid a run for his money right now. "How long do you think that one will last?"

Avery jumped as two voices behind her said in unison, "Only a few days."

"Fred. George." she frowned, "George. Fred. Whichever order you're in right now."

"Alright Avery?" they said together.

"You tried one of these yet?" one of the twins held out a pink circular sweet.

"They're delicious."

"No. And I don't plan too." she laughed in reply, "I unintentionally tested one of your nosebleed nougats back in school remember."

"Oh we wouldn't give you anything bad Avery."

"Yeah- We don't want you cursing us in our own shop do we?"

"What does that one do?" Ron asked from where he had just reappeared beside Hermione.

"Eat it and find out." The first twin, who by now Avery was pretty sure was Fred grinned, eyes challenging.

She sighed, "No Fred, I'm not eating it, it'll probably turn my hair pink or make me grow and extra leg or something."

"I'm George." he said gravely to which she saw Hermione roll her eyes.

"Come on, these guys are being tight, lets go." Ron interrupted, a hint of bitterness in his voice. He strode determinedly through the crowds ignoring the cheery goodbye that his brothers shot their way. "I'm glad I'm an only child." Avery grinned to Hermione who silently nodded her agreement.

"There's Harry." Hermione pointed to the bottom of the flight of stairs they were currently descending, "Over by the pygmy puffs. Harry!"

The-Boy-Who-Lived, in his usual muggle get up, wiry glasses and unruly black hair hadn't changed much, though Avery thought his aforementioned hair may be shorter than it had been the year before. She immediately searched his face for any lingering sadness over Sirius's death the year before, from his letters over the summer she had discerned he was still understandably saddened but much better than he had been before. But a smile was quick to grace his features as she scrambled towards him, "Harry Potter! I missed you!"

"Hi Avery," he grinned into the hug, "You're staying with us til Hogwarts right?"

"Yeah she is." Ron answered for her, "Come on mate, we're getting out of here."

Harry turned on his heel and led them towards the exit. As they exited the shop they were met with the sight of the alley, darkened, empty, a stark reminder that the chaos behind them was a one off thing. "How do Fred and George do it? Half the alleys closed down."

"Fred reckons people need a laugh these days."

"I reckon he's right." Harry murmured, his dark eyes scanning the alley, Avery nodded in agreement. She heard Hermione gasp ahead of her and was met with the sight of Ollivanders, windows smashed, darkened. "Everybody bought their wands from Ollivanders." Avery swallowed sadly as she remembered herself at eleven. Old man Ollivander handing her wand after wand, until she felt that familiar pull that told her the wand she held was the one for her. Matilda stood off to the side, smiling proudly.

Harry was the first to step into the destruction that had once been the bustling wand shop. "Looks like a bomb went off in here." Avery said gravely.

"More like a fire." Hermione replied, running a finger along one of the walls and showing Avery the black soot that remained on her finger tip.

"Where will the first years get their wands? I cant think of any other wand shops near here, can you?" Avery asked, if anybody would know the answer it would be Hermione. "Well.." Hermione started, but was cut off again when Ron, who was staring intently out of the window called Harrys name.

"Is it just me or do Draco and mummy look like people who don't want to be followed." Interest peaked the girls joined them at the window, eyes on the blonde boy and his mother who stood outside, glancing around surreptitiously.

"Could they look any more suspicious?" Hermione whispered.

Avery sighed as Harry moved jerkily, heading towards the door, "We're spying again aren't we?"

"Looks that way." Ron replied eagerly, following his best friend from the shop. Avery grinned as Hermione mirrored her exasperated expression, but followed anyway.

They stumbled towards the tight alleyway the Malfoys had just entered, sticking close together. They passed numerous WANTED posters of death eaters and other criminals. Overall it was just plain creepy and Avery began to long for the craziness of the twin's shop, at least in there they weren't following notorious Slytherins down a dark alley into the unknown. Hermione's face mirrored her thoughts perfectly. _Yet we still follow them willingly_. Avery thought to herself. _Bloody Gryffindors._

Avery shuddered as they skirted around a man who was crying or praying into the brick wall, as if he were seeing a long lost lover, or begging for his life to be spared. Ravenous dogs snarled and barked, dragging their owners behind them. The four students came out of the alleyway and onto thankfully, flat concrete, unlike the cobbles they had just been walking, or stumbling in Avery and Ron's case.

"Borgin and Burkes." Hermione whispered as they watched the Malfoys step inside the harshly lit shop, thankfully not turning around, they would have been spotted immediately if that had been the case. "Did you hear that?" Hermione asked, reminding Avery that the mousy haired girl had a tendency to talk when she was nervous.

"Sounds like there's more people?" Ron stated, though it came as more of a question.

"If we climb up there," Harry started, pointing to the sloping roof, we should be able to see inside."

"How we gonna get up there?" Ron asked.

"We're not of age yet Harry." Hermione stated. "We cannot use magic out of school."

"I know Hermione." he replied, "We'll do it the muggle way."

Avery groaned as she comprehended what he was saying, they were going to _climb_. Avery couldn't climb, she couldn't do anything sports related. She could only just balance on a broom and was definitely not joining any Quidditch teams any time soon. By the time she had snapped out of her thoughts Harry had already climbed all the way up and Ron and Hermione were following. She guessed if Hermione could climb it then she could too, Hermione was a brilliant witch but she had no balance and could be clumsier than most. Hermione on a broom for example was a recipe for disaster. A huge disaster. Avery groaned again and wrapped her hand around a loosened brick, she launched herself up and pressed her foot into a rut. It seemed to Avery like hours before she finally made it to the top, which was due mainly to Harry reaching down and pulling her up between himself and Hermione. She didn't think the others had seen this help and she wasn't about to tell them anytime soon. She mouthed her thanks as she settled down but Harry had already returned his attention to what was happening below them. Avery did the same. In the shop below, stood a group of people, none of whom Avery recognised, except Narcissa Malfoy and of course Draco Malfoy who was currently stood before an ancient looking cupboard, pretty nondescript. But the way he caressed it and openly gawped at it, it seemed like the most important thing in the entire world. "He has a thing for cabinets now?" Avery quipped into the quiet.

"I wish we could hear them." Harry groaned.

It took all the willpower in the world to stop Avery from screaming as the extremely ugly face of Fenrir Greyback jumped into view. She felt a hand pushing down on her shoulder and recognised the dire need to hide away. She ducked as low as she could go, praying to Merlin that she wouldn't slide down the bloody roof. She held her breath as she noticed Hermiones foot catch on a loose slab, which promptly fell to the floor smashing, far too loudly, into tiny pieces. They were surely to be caught now. Nobody came out screaming though, no curses or jinxes came their way, instead as they dared to peak towards the window again they found the window covered by thick black blinds and their view consequently gone.

"Dammit." Harry growled quietly.

"Come on, lets get down from here before I fall." Ron replied, already well on his way to reaching the ground. Once Hermione, Harry and Avery had found their way down, Avery stretched, her back creaking, "We're not even back at school and we're already sneaking after Slytherins."

As they found their way back to the alleyway they had come from they fell silent and Avery's eyes inadvertedly found the WANTED poster belonging to the werewolf they had just seen in person. They didn't speak again until they were out in the open and trailing past the Weasleys shop. "What do you think they were doing in there?" Hermione questioned as they made their way toward the nearest Floo point.

"Hiding?" Avery guessed, "I mean you've seen the papers right? They're in there a lot, since the trials and all."

"No. I don't think so. They'd stay in their Manor wouldn't they?" Ron replied.

"Good point Ronald." Hermione stated, and the ginger shrugged.

"Well, I'm sure we will do some sneaking and find out eventually." Hermione smiled knowingly.

"Obviously. It's not like Harry will let this go." Avery mumbled to the girl, when she knew the boys were out of earshot.

"He wouldn't be Harry if he did." Hermione replied.

"Here we are." Ron grinned, pushing through a doorway which led to another shop in a similar state to Ollivanders. They followed him to the fire place. "This place used to be a lot more fun to Floo to." he explained. He stepped into the fireplace, grabbed a handful of the black powder and cried, "The Burrow!"

Harry followed soon after and as Hermione stepped into the fire she warned, "You should brace yourself before you get to the Burrow. It's chaos there, especially once the twins arrive." Then she screamed her destination and the green flames erupted around her. Avery smiled, a small flicker of anticipation in her stomach, she had never been to the Burrow before. Until forth year she hadn't been able to leave the house in the holidays unless they were to go to social events as a family, then after forth year, once Harry had divulged to her the information that her mother was a death eater she had stayed with her old nanny Matilda in the holidays. It was only now, before their sixth year that she was to finally spend a few days with her friends having determined that Matilda would be okay without her and not miss her too badly.

She figured the others would worry if she procrastinated too long and stepped into the fireplace herself, grimacing at the thought that she would soon feel the strange pulling sensation and appear somewhere else covered in dust. She gripped some dust in her hand and as she made to call out the destination she noticed figures ambling past the shop in which she stood. First a non descript man with dark hair, then an older man she also didn't recognise followed closely and gracefully by Narcissa Malfoy whom, if Avery didn't know better, simply looked like a mother on a shopping trip with her son, composed and elegant. Said son, Draco followed behind her, slower than the rest. He looked deep in thought and his eyes looked a little glazed over. She could see his eyes clearly because they had just met hers. There was a few seconds before comprehension hit the Slytherin and he snarled in her direction, the cool calmness she was used to seeing overtaking him again. She frowned and shook her head, dropping the dust onto the floor and clearly shouting, "The Burrow."

The last thing she saw before the flames erupted her and everything went swirly and black was Draco Malfoy, head held high, continuing on behind his mother. Suddenly Avery didn't mind so much that Harry wouldn't stop until he found out what was happening with the blonde. After all, she couldn't deny that she was curious.

**-….-**

**What did you think?**


	4. The Burrow

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 4- Chaos.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

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**Thanks very much for the reviews and alerts, even those anonymous ones. They make me happy! Keep it up!**

**-….-**

If Avery hadn't been completely sure she had specifically shouted, The Burrow as her destination then she could have sworn that she had arrived one more in Fred and Georges shop. The chaos here was exactly the same as there. Voices were screaming. Arguments could be heard from different directions, laughter too. Avery saw that she had arrive in a small kitchen, much less organised than any she had ever seen before. At her parents home the kitchen was only used by house elves who were meticulously clean and tidy less they get into trouble. Matildas kitchen was more used, because she liked to cook by hand, a muggle custom that someone as lazy as myself couldn't comprehend, but she always cleaned up after herself with the wand so it was always tidy. The Burrow was different in that sense. Pots and pans floated at their own accord, jugs poured soups and sauces into bowls and other pans. Flames erupted underneath the pots on the stove. Despite all the noise and disruption the small kitchen stood deserted, wooden chairs pushed in around the table where seats were already laid out ready for the meal. "Harry?" she called, "Ron?"

She vaguely wondered is she had come to the wrong place, this looked like the Burrow, at least what the others had described to her.

"Ronald Weasley!" A voice screeched from another room, confirming that this was in fact where she was meant to be, she had only met Mrs Weasley a few times at the station, but she had been present when Ron had received his howler in second year and he had been shouted at on the platform numerous times. No one could imitate Mrs Weasley. "You get off of Harry right now! Play fighting or not I do not want it in this house!"

The wooden door that Avery had been staring at opened revealing the red faced, plump woman, "Avery! We thought you weren't coming! Harry was all set to return and look for you, but we told him you probably just flooed to the wrong place, its been known to happen to Ron and his friends before."

Avery chuckled at Mrs Weasleys nonchalance when it came to a kid getting lost.

"Always panicking those boys. Hermione told them not to worry, she knows how you don't really like flooing. Too dusty."

At the mention of the dust Avery swiped at her own clothes, jumping slightly as a mop raced towards her and began to swish around her feet where the residual dust had landed. "Merlin Avery! You look like you fell into a bonfire!" Ron's voice interrupted before Avery could even get a hello past her lips to his mother, who had already stepped into the back garden for some reason.

"Yeah, I always look a mess after flooing somewhere." Avery grumbled, "Thanks for waiting for me."

"It's kind of hard to remember whats going on when you walk in on an argument between your mum and sister." he grumbled in reply.

"I forgive you." Avery grinned patting him on the back as he turned to lead her into the next room. "So why were you on top of Harry? That's the first thing I heard when I got through."

"I was holding him down." He replied, "He thought the Malfoys had kidnapped you or you'd lost a limb and were unable to get into the fireplace somehow. You know what Harrys like when his imagination runs wild."

"What if I had Ron?" Avery quipped as they stepped into the room where everyone else lazed, "Nice to know at least one person cared for my wellbeing!"

Harry, who sat on a small battered sofa next to Ginny shot a huge grin towards the two of them, having heard what the two of them were saying, "You made it then."

"Yeah." Avery said, rolling her eyes slightly, "I am able to floo by myself."

She let her gaze fall across the rest of the room, Mr Weasley sat in a chair, engulfed in a large book, Avery thought the title was Aeroplanes and their inner workings, a muggle book. Hermione, sat at the foot of another seat that Avery guessed Ron had just vacated was also reading intently. Avery guessed it was probably sixth year textbooks. Hermione would know them word for word before they were on the train bound for Hogwarts. Avery sometimes wished he had Hermione's brains. The girl was like a bloody sponge! Avery herself, found she had a thumping headache after reading for an hour at most, then, even if she persevered and read something over and over she would just forget it as soon as she woke the next morning. Like Harry and Ron, she had to admit that she just didn't have the ability to study. However, she got good grades and remembered things other way so her work didn't really suffer, reading just wasn't her thing. She also noted that it was not as chaotic here as she had expected after numerous warnings.

It was just two minutes after that very thought, after Avery had flopped down into Rons vacated seat, ignoring his scandalized glare, that she was proven wrong. First, Mrs Weasley trotted through the door, "Avery! Your things are up in Ginny's room, your mother had someone apparate them here, she told me to apologize that she couldn't see you herself but she will owl you when your back at school."

"Thanks Mrs Weasley, for letting me stay."

"No problem love, if Ginny brings her friends we have most of Hogwarts anyway."

"Oh." Avery grinned, "And she isn't my mother."

"I'm sorry?"

"I live with an old nanny." Avery stated, "Since fourth year, my mother is a- uh, she's a friend of the Malfoys and-"

"Mary Greenwood, Molly," Arthur Weasley interrupted.

The name coming from his mouth caused Molly's own mouth to gape open, "I see. Yes. I see. I apologize Avery." Avery ignored Ron's wince at his parents tact.

Before Avery could reply, the door burst open again, "Hello everyone!"

"Did you miss us?"

"We sold quite a bit today."

"Though some one did try and bring back nosebleed nougats!"

"The nerve!"

"So we gave 'em puking pastels and told 'em they were the antidote."

"Devoius of us aye?"

"They didn't come back again!"

"That's brilliant." Ron exclaimed once the twins had finished with their tale and Avery noticed Mollys indignant scowl towards the boys and Arthur holding back a burst of laughter.

"You really shouldn't antagonise your customers if you want repeat buyers." Hermione admonished, with her own scowl. Avery realised for the first time just how much like Mrs Weasley she really was. The twins shrugged simultaneously, then split, on heading towards Harry and Ginny and flopping onto the sofa between them, an arm around each and the other heading towards Avery, who quickly jumped from the seat before the lanky twin could sit on her lap. "Fred!" she cried, as she skirted around Hermione who had returned to her reading, trying not to trip over her.

"I'm George!" the twin smirked.

Avery rolled her eyes, then grimaced as Mrs Weasleys voice called, "Dinner!"

She was then caught in a rush of redheads as they swarmed towards the kitchen again. Once she had extracted herself from the group she waited for Hermione, who had wisely stayed where she was, "I see what you mean when you say its crazy here." Avery laughed, "I think I have a headache already."

"That bad huh?" Hermione asked.

"No Herms, It's brilliant! Its so quiet at Matildas and then it as at my mothers before that. I like the chaos." Avery explained as Hermione gently placed her book on the now empty sofa, "it's a welcome change."

"You'll get used to it eventually." Hermione laughed, "Before you know it you'll be pranking people and eating like Ron."

"I truly hope not." Avery grinned, following Hermione into the kitchen.

Dinner was a crazy affair and reminded Avery more of being in Hogwarts great hall rather than being in the Weasleys small cottage. Fred and George provided most of the entertainment, telling stories of their shop and hinting at new inventions and Molly scolded them accordingly. Arthur sat quietly at the head of the table, surveying his family lovingly and Ron and Hermione had started and finished numerous arguments before they had even gotten to dessert.

"Well. I'm done." Harry stated, "That was great as always Mrs Weasley."

Ron nodded in agreement as he continued to wolf down what Avery thought had to be his third portion by now. "Oh yes. I'm finished too." Hermione said quickly eyes on Harry who was currently looking towards Avery expectantly.

Avery frowned as she chewed her last mouthful, realisation dawning as Harry jerked his head towards the door.

"Yeah. I'm done! This really was great Ms Weasley!" Avery said, standing and moving to take her plate to the sink, though before she could it floated itself into the air and landed with a gentle plink in the sink.

"Ronald." Hermione smiled falsely, "Aren't you done too?"

"Not rea- Oh. Yeah. Yeah Thanks mum." he amended hastily, catching his friends eye, "Come on Avery, we'll show you where you'll be sleeping."

Avery could have sworn, as she was the last to leave the kitchen that she had heard Molly mumble something about them being very obvious, Avery smirked, they hadn't exactly been brilliantly deceptive had they?

"Come on Ave." Ron called from where he was already stood on the bottom of the staircase, "I'm missing more food for this bloody talk I guess we're going to be having."

Avery chuckled as she made her way towards them, "Oh." Ron said, "Look out for any disembodied ears, y'know what Fred and George are like!"

"Yeah." Avery mumbled, "Bloody nosey."

Harry led the way towards a small, haphazard room, messy. "Wow Ronald, do you ever clean in here?" Hermione asked, voicing Avery's almost exact thoughts.

"Find a seat anywhere." Ron said, pointedly ignoring Hermione's previous comment and the one that immediately followed that sounded suspiciously like 'if you can'.

Avery grinned at their antics and perched herself on the edge of the bed next to Harry, who once they were all seated, not necessarily comfortably began, "I wanted to talk about today."

"We know." Hermione sighed, exasperated already.

"Has anybody got any ideas? What was Malfoy doing today?"

"Getting up close and personal with a cabinet?" Avery quipped, "I said it there and I'll say it again. Fetish."

Harry chuckled but immediately turned serious, "He had to be up to something right? They looked too suspicious for it to be a simple family outing."

"I have to agree." Hermione added a little reluctantly, "But that's not to say that anything bad is going on."

"Fenrir Greyback was with them. Whatever it is isn't going to be sunshine and rainbows is it?" Ron cheeked.

"Well of course, Greyback is a notorious criminal." Hermione added.

"And death eater." Harry murmured.

"What are you thinking Harry?" Hermione asked from her spot on the floor.

"I'm not too sure yet." he grumbled, "I'm still thinking."

"Don't hurt yourself mate!" Ron quipped, narrowly avoiding the path of a flying cushion.

Avery grinned as Hermione rolled her eyes, "Come on Ave, they might be at this a while, lets go sort your stuff."

"Yeah." Avery replied, standing to follow, "I feel far too mature to stay in here."

**-….-**

**What did you think?**


	5. Confrontations

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 5- Confrontation.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Thanks very much for the reviews and alerts, even those anonymous ones. They make me happy! Keep it up!**

**-….-**

"So. All I need today is a potions textbook, DADA textbook and a collar for my baby. Who would have thought so many people would have brought all black cats." Avery mused to Hermione as they dawdled slightly behind the large Weasley family, through Diagon Alley, the day before they were due to be at platform 9 ¾. She had a sneaking suspicion, however that Ron and Harry were eavesdropping into their conversation when she heard Ron mumble, "Bloody women and their cats."

"That's why I brought Crookshanks." Hermione replied, pointedly ignoring the annoying ginger ahead, "No one buts tabby cats at Hogwarts."

"You'd think I'd be able to recognise my own cat," Avery mused, "But the only difference between Dragon and other cats is the white stripe on his stomach, I cant very well go around lifting up all the cats I see! There's five black ones in Gryffindor tower alone."

"As fascinating as I'm sure your conversation is," Ron interrupted, "You need to get your potions textbook from here."

"I knew you were listening to us!" Hermione shrieked, "You're so rude Ronald, we could have been talking about anything!"

"Instead you were talking about cats." he grumbled, stepping into the shop ahead of us."

"You're like a married couple." Avery laughed to her friend, "The day you two don't bicker Harry and I will throw a party. Honest to Merlin."

Hermione huffed, pushing past the red headed girl to make her way into the shop. Avery swallowed and took a big gulp of fresh air before stepping inside. This place always reminded her of Hogwarts library, the smell of musty books and paper always very overwhelming and the hoards of people made it hard to move around. The last time she had been in here was in second year, when Harry had been accosted by Gilroy Lockhart, the extremely fake 'hero of the hour' and generally awful DADA teacher, then accosted by the Malfoys, leading to the whole Ginny- Chamber of secrets fiasco. Every other year Matilda had, had her textbooks ready for her, knowing of her distaste for shopping in general let alone this store. This year however, Avery, knowing she would be staying with the Weasley's and Harry, had decided to get her own.

"Potions over here Avery!" Harrys voice called from somewhere in the shop and Avery found herself wondering why it was that wizards thought it a good idea to make their shops so bloody tiny. Avery hadn't been to any muggle towns, but from what she had heard from Harry and Hermione the shops were much bigger and held many more people. Avery glanced around the shop, standing on her tip toes to see over some taller students she didn't recognise. She spotted familiar bushy hair over by a shelf of darker looking volumes, spines cracked and greasy looking even though they were brand new textbooks for sixth years. "Figures." she mumbled, "Anything related to Potions seems to be dark and gloomy."

She pushed her way through the line of people, not looking forward to joining the queue herself in a few minutes, "Excuse me, excuse me." she said, angling herself around other customers. She flinched as she felt something solid slam against her legs and stomach. "Sorry!" A young voice called as she glanced down to see a kid who couldn't have been more than eleven, staring up at her with wide eyes.

"That's okay." Avery smiled, thankful she hadn't unintentionally glared at the kid as a first instinct, she still remembered how it felt to be an eleven year old, visiting these stores for the first time, "Is everything alright?" she asked, kneeling to the boys height. The kid nodded, "My mum told me to meet her at the herbology section but I cant remember where that is."

"I'll show you. What's your name kid?"

"David Boyd."

"Well David I'm Avery and the Herbology books are just over there," she pointed, eyes finding a woman with the same black hair and brown eyes, "is that your mum?"

"Yes. Thank you!" the kid called before hurrying towards his mother. Avery grinned and made her way towards Hermione who was already laden with books. "I thought you had all your books Herm." She stated as she reached the girl who was intently reading the back cover of the top book, remembering that she had seen the girl reading one the first day she had arrived at the Burrow.

"Not all of them." Hermione replied distractedly.

Avery rolled her eyes, "Well knowing you, we probably don't even need half of the books you've brought. Or you'll be using your time turner again. Do you still have that?"

"Anyway," Hermione continued as if Avery hadn't even spoken, finally glancing up, "These two," she handed over the two books from the bottom of the pile, "are the ones you need. I grabbed them for you, I saw you with that kid."

Avery nodded, "Thank you. Have you got all you need?"

"Yes. If we but these, we could go and look for a collar for Dragon?"

"Sounds good. I thinking pink, with ribbons?"

"Dragon would kill you, he's far to masculine for that." Hermione grinned.

"Yeah. You know, sometimes I swear he's someone stuck in animangus form, or he's someone cursed to be a cat for all eternity or something." Avery mused.

"Like Salem!" Hermione cried.

"Who?"

"The cat, in Sabrina the teenage witch!"

"Who's Sabrina? Do we know her?" Avery asked perplexed.

"What? Oh! Sometimes I forget that you're as bad as Ron when it comes to muggle things. It's a muggle television show, rather good actually. About a teenage witch. Though I don't think it would hold much appeal here, since most people are, have been or will be witches themselves one day." Hermione rambled as the joined onto the end of the queue.

"Right." Avery laughed, "And a television is that thing you and Harry showed me right? The one where the people were on the screen?"

"Yes Avery. I really need to take you to London, a muggle town, and my house and show you everything. I have a feeling it would be very amusing. Ronald too of course."

"Sometimes, when I'm around you and Harry I do start to wish I ha taken Muggle studies. If I had had a bloody time turner like you did I probably would have!"

Hermione laughed and Avery admitted, "I am glad to be going back though, its hard not to, like Harry says, think of Hogwarts as home, or a second home at least." Her friend nodded in agreement, "Though I will miss these clothes, much more comfortable than wearing that uniform all day. I will wear trousers one day. I bet no one would even notice if I did."

"Oh I'm sure Professor McGonnagal would, and probably Snape too, any excuse to take house points."

"Yeah. You know, ignoring the fact that she is a Deatheater and all, that's part of the reason I'm glad I no longer live with my mother, wearing wizarding robes 24/7 gets tiring."

"I don't doubt that."

By the time they reached the counter, the two girls were reminiscing about how awkward Harry and Ron had looked in their formal robes for the Tri Wizard dance.

They paid quickly and bagged up their items, Hermione rushed to inform the others that they would be looking in the pet store and arrange a meeting point for later.

"Ah fresh air." Avery grinned, as they stepped from the shop, "So good to be free!"

"So dramatic." Hermione sighed, "Its not that bad."

"Oh Hermione, it really, really is!"

Hermione rolled her eyes in much the same fashion Avery had in the shop and replied with, "We're to meet them outside the twin's shop in half an hour."

It didn't take long for Avery to find something suitable for Dragon, in fact it took longer for her to convince Hermione that it was not a good idea to but _another_ kitten. "Crookshanks would probably eat the poor thing."

" Leave some for the new kids."

The winning and most convincing argument however had been a simple, "It's against the rules."

"How long do we have?" Avery asked as they stepped from another shop into the cool air again. "Before we have to meet them?"

"Fifteen minutes?" Hermione guessed, hauling the bag of treats she had brought for Crookshanks into her other hand.

"Want to just go and wait?" Avery asked, juggling her own bags. She cursed as the bag from the bookstore tipped forwards and her DADA book slid onto the ground with a thud. Avery sighed, gently placed her bags onto the ground and knelt down to grab her fallen book, before she could pick it up however, a shiny booted foot landed hard on the cover. She gasped and yanked her hand back, thankful it hadn't been her fingers on the receiving end of the stomp. She glanced up to see, _who else_, Draco Malfoy sneering down at her, "Crawling on the floor now mummy no longer wants you Greenwood?"

"Still think you're better than everyone else Malfoy?" Avery shot back, wincing at just how lame her come back had been, "Give me my book."

"Defence against the dark arts. Most useless subject there is." the blonde growled, kicking the book a few feet away, "Really Greenwood, one would expect more than this from you, spending time with mud bloods and blood traitors."

"Malfoy." Avery glared, "You can insult me and my friends all you like, I've told you before, I don care what you think. I'm just waiting for the day you finally grow up."

"You have no idea." Malfoy sneered, a hint of smugness in his voice. And Avery had the urge to respond, _Go hug more cabinets_! But of course he didn't know they had followed him so instead she opted just to glare at his back as he sauntered away.

"Asshole." she grumbled, as she picked up her textbook, frowning at the footprint along the cover, "I hate it when he calls you that, and he's managed to ruin my book before I've even opened the bloody thing!"

"Come on Ave, lets go. He's not even worth your anger."

"Its my turn to punch him next though right?"

"Ave!" Hermione admonished, "Violence is never the answer!"

"Hypocrite." Avery groaned, placing the book back and hoisting her bags, "Lets go."

**-….-**

**So its like 2am so I had to leave it there!**

**What did you think? Let me know!**


	6. Journey to Hogwarts

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 6- Journey to Hogwarts.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Thanks very much for the reviews and alerts, even those anonymous ones. They make me happy! Keep it up!**

**-….-**

"Is everybody packed? Trunks full? Robes, books and everything else ready?" Mrs Weasleys voice cut across the hum of chatter in the Burrows kitchen. "Ronald! Have you got your dress robes? Your potions book? You know how you are with forgetting things!"

"It's true!" Ginny giggled from the corner where she stood with Avery and Hermione, watching her older brothers face redden as he hastily replied to his mother, "We've had to come home to grab something almost every year because he has forgotten something!"

"Sounds about right." Avery replied.

"Have you girls got everything?" Molly called over to them and they all confirmed that yes they did have everything, and yes they were completely sure and no they didn't need to go and check their rooms again. It would have been almost impossible to forget anything with Hermione listing off their list of supplies from memory.

"This is strange." Ginny said, "Not having Fred and George here this year."

"The Gryffindor table will not be the same without them." Avery agreed.

"At least we can walk down the halls without the fear of being caught in one of their pranks." Hermione added with a disapproving scowl, one she always seemed to adopt when they talked of the twins antics, though even Hermione had to admit that they left Hogwarts in spectacular fashion in fifth year.

"Harry dear," Mrs Weasleys voice audibly softened at Harrys name, "Do you have everything?"

"Yeah, I got it all Mrs Weasley." Harry grinned, ignoring Ron's wounded glare.

"Good. I swear I get a migraine every time we do this."

"Poor Mrs Weasley," Hermione simpered, "Always so stressed out."

"Wouldn't we all be?" Avery quipped, "With Ron as a son?"

"Be thankful he didn't hear that!" Hermione hissed, "He wont speak to you for weeks."

"Hmm" Avery replied noncommittally, scooping her black cat from the ground as he scurried past her feet, "Hey there little fella!" she cooed, lifting him above her face, "Your going into your travel bag. Yes you are. Off to Hogwarts we go!" Dragon hissed and squirmed as she tried to secure him inside the travel bag and only with the promise of being allowed out on the train did he settle down. Sometimes Avery wondered if animals from the wizarding world weren't smarter than they seemed.

She decided to ignore another round of , "Women and their bloody cats." from Ron as he ambled past her.

**-….-**

"Kings cross station." Arthur Weasley announced, once the whole group had assembled, "Okay Ginny lead the way and don't forget one at a time through the barrier."

"Y'know," Avery mused to Harry as they walked side by side behind Hermione and Ron who were, would you believe it, bickering, "I wonder how the muggles never notice us."

"What do you mean?" he asked, glancing at her behind his glasses.

"I know theres charms over the barrier so no one sees a load of people materialising through a wall, but does no one think it weird a load of teenagers walking towards a wall with old fashioned trunks and owls" she gestured to Hedwig perched regally in his cage, "and cats, who literally disappear at some point."

"Guess not." Harry shrugged, "It's magic really!"

Avery coughed on a bark of laughter, "Oh you're a regular comedian!"

"I try." Harry replied as they reached the barrier, he gestured for Avery to take the running start first. She ran, felt the familiar rush of literally running through a wall, then came through to the bustling other world where she belonged. She felt as she always did when she saw the scene before her, adrenaline, excitement and that feeling that Harry had once described as coming home.

She grinned, as she waited for Harry to follow her through, watching as the students greeted each other warmly, already exchanging stories of their holidays, some students already in their school robes, most in muggle clothing, or like the pure bloods formal wizard wear.

"Good to be back huh?" Harrys voice sounded next to her.

"Wonderful." Avery shouted her reply over another loud whistle form the train.

"Come on!" Harry said, following behind Mr and Mrs Weasley who had pushed past them and were heading towards where Ginny, Ron and Hermione stood.

"Hey Harry! Hey Avery!" Neville Longbottoms voice sounded from somewhere ahead.

"Hi Neville!" Harry called as Avery waved to where she now saw the boy.

Rons parents said their goodbyes and Avery thanked them once again for their hospitality. They ambled their way through the crowds towards the trains and hoisted their trunks. "Come on." Hermione called, "I see an empty compartment over here."

"I'm going to go and find my friends." Ginny stated, heading the other way.

Avery, Harry and Ron followed closely behind Hermiones bushy head, manoeuvring their trunks and caged animals around other students venturing down the halls, ignoring the few "Watch it Gryffindorks!" and "Hold up ginger." as they made their way past a few Slytherins. Avery thought the latter insult could have been aimed at her or Ron so paid it no mind.

"Here!" Hermione called triumphantly, turning into an empty compartment, Ron close at her heels. Harry made to step inside but stopped as a voice called, "Greenwood."

He turned in unison, wanting to have his friends back if anything bad were to start. Avery blinked, the sight of a Slytherin pointing a wand at her not something she wanted to see at this time of the morning, or any time really.

"Zambini?" She asked, voice quivering only slightly, eyes trained on the, albeit familiar, wand pointed to her chest.

"You dropped your wand Greenwood." the dark boy stated, "back there."

"Oh." Avery grinned, "I thought you were going to curse me."

"Ten years Greenwood. We've known each other ten years and Ive never once cursed you. Why would I start now?"

"Because," Avery started, taking her wand, "I may have accidentally hexed you that one time in DADA, though I was totally aiming for Malfoy."

"Yeah. Of course you were." Zambini replied with a wry smiled, "See you around Greenwood."

"See you." Avery replied pocketing her wand again.

"It still weirds me out that your friends with him." Harry stated as she turned around.

"Why?"

"I just keep expecting you to hex each other."

"We're not all like you and Malfoy, Harry." Avery stated, pushing into the compartment, grinning as Ron automatically moved to lift her trunk to the overhead shelf.

She unzipped Dragons bag and lifted the cat out, as Harry closed the door behind him, "Speaking of Malfoy," Harry started as Dragon settled, curled onto Averys lap, "You know I told you guys I was thinking over what could have been happening that day we followed him?"

"Yes, Harry?" Hermione sighed, hints of exhaustion in her voice before the conversation had even started properly.

"I think that it was some kind of spell, some kind of ritual."

"Harry what are you saying?" Hermione asked.

Before Harry could reply the compartment door slid open and a dreamy voice called, "Quibbler? Would anybody like a Quibbler?"

"Hello Luna," Hermione smiled.

"Hello Hermione, hello Avery, hello Ron, hello Harry." Luna Lovegood listed with a sated smile, "Would anybody like one?"

"I will Luna." Hermione answered pulling a few coins from her denim pockets.

"Me too." Avery followed suit.

Harry waited until the blonde had left, gently closing the door behind her, before he continued his previous point, "I think it was an initiation."

Silence followed his statement, a confused frown spread across Rons face, but understanding flitted across Hermiones. Avery groaned, also in understanding.

"Harry. You cant be serious." Hermione admonished.

"What's happening? What's he saying?" Ron asked, eyes flitting between his best friends.

"Harry is under the impression that Draco Malfoy is now a death eater." Hermione explained, her expression clearly showing that she did not agree.

"Really Harry?" Ron laughed, "Why would they want that pillock?"

"It makes sense though doesn't it?" Harry asked, "Fenrir Greyback is a notorious death eater. Lucius Malfoy is basically Voldemorts right hand man."

"He's also in jail Harry." Hermione interjected.

"So what's to stop Malfoy following in his fathers footsteps?" Harry asked.

"I don't think so Harry." Avery piped in, "Draco is-"

"He's a coward Harry. He'd probably be too scared to take the mark." Ron interjected.

Harry huffed, frowned and mumbled something about going to see someone, whilst not so secretly grabbing his invisibility cloak from the rack above his head.

"Which roughly translates to either going to spy on Malfoy," Avery started.

"Or- to have a stilted conversation with Cho Chang before- going to spy on Malfoy." Ron grinned.

"Lets just hope he doesn't get caught." Hermione sighed.

**-….-**

**What did you think? Let me know!**


	7. Its good to be back

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 7- It's good to be back**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Thanks very much for the reviews and alerts, even those anonymous ones. They make me happy! Keep it up!**

**-….-**

After thirty minutes, Harry still hadn't returned to their compartment.

After forty five minutes Hermione began to worry.

After an hour Ron had grown tired of Hermione's insistent worrying and Avery also began to feel an underlying ripple of fear that Harry was in trouble.

By the time they had all changed into their robes, had their things collected and began to file from the train Hermione was positively jumping with worry.

"Come on guys, he probably just got distracted and went on." Ron amended, grabbing Hermione by her arm and leading her in the same direction as the crowd.

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded, "He's the chosen one, there are people out to get him! Who knows what could have happened?"

"Calm down woman!"

By the time they had reached the Great hall, Hermione and Ron still bickering and sat, without Harry at the Gryffindor table even Ron had to admit that he was worried.

"I'm sure he's fine guys." Avery said, "He probably just needs some time alone."

"Or some time with Luna." Ron said, confusion lacing his voice as he stared towards the hall entrance where the aforementioned blonde and their best friend were making their way through.

"He's bleeding." Hermione sighed, with a coveted, I told you something was wrong, glance towards Ron.

And Harry was indeed bleeding from his nose, though the actual appendage looked the same as ever, unharmed, which told Avery it must have been healed previously.

"Harry! What happened?" Hermione hissed and he slid onto the bench next to her, taking the offered napkin, dabbing at the drying blood.

"Malfoy happened." he replied in the same manner.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Ron scowled, murmuring something about punching the ferret, Avery began to question him but was interrupted as Dumbledore took his place on the stage and began his annual speech. It was different than usual, tinted with more fear and melancholy and the glint in his eye that Dumbledore was more than known for was dimmer than usual. The threat of death eaters and Voldemort had never seemed more real to Avery than it did in that moment, even after all they had faced, because once Dumbledore lost hope then they all did. Covert glances were shared between the DA members. Nevilles wide eyes glanced around the room, the usual dreamy smile on Luna Lovegoods face seemed less sincere than usual, even some Slytherins seemed nervous. As soon as the speech ended, however, with the usual rules of the school and the house sorting began for the shaking new kids who stood huddled in the hall, Hermione rounded on Harry with a barrage of questions which he answered diplomatically and honestly all the while glaring at the Slytherin table behind Avery and Hermiones back where Malfoy and his cronies had to be sat.

"Brilliant!" Seamus Finnegan exclaimed a little too loudly when the final first year, a small brunette, was sorted into Hufflepuff, "I'm starving."

The rest of the Gryfindors heartily agreed as a lavish spread appeared before them, "I might have to learn how to do that." Ginny grinned, pointing to the food.

"What cook?" Ron questioned over a mouthful of chewed meat he had already shovelled into his mouth.

"No Ron, I mean make it appear like this in no time at all." Ginny replied with a fond eye roll.

"You'd make a great wife if you did." Avery commented, lifting some shiny salad onto her own plate.

The chatter was loud and distracting, normal, which Avery could tell made everyone feel much calmer. Hermione broke the amicable silence between their friends with a, "Potions is the first lesson this week." Both Harry and Ron groaned loudly, to which Ginny laughed, "I have DADA."

Avery laughed at the glares that were shot towards Ginny, she had never really minded potions too much and if she were honest she was pretty good at it. Sure Professor Snape was pretty much insufferable and Avery, like all of her other house mates, didn't exactly like it when he took house points for no reason. Avery however, like Hermione and a couple of other Gryfindors was sometimes able to make some of those points back by doing a potion correctly, she needed to when she was sometimes paired with Neville, usually when Snape was feeling particularly mean. Being paired with Neville though was preferable to being paired with a Slytherin, even if it was Zambini, because if this were the case and the potion was correctly brewed it meant that the Slytherin got all of the reward, including the house points. She knew that Hermione was just as indifferent.

"Why does the world hate us?" She could hear Harry mumbling over his food, "We shouldn't have to learn potions."

"Potions are an important part of magical life Harry," Hermione admonished, "Many illnesses and ailments have been cured because of potions. We wouldn't be half as advanced as we are now if not for potions."

"Sorry Hermione." Harry mumbled guiltily.

Once the feast was finished and everyone was suitably stuffed, the tables cleared in seconds, who said magic didn't make things easier? And the first years led away by their assorted house prefects, which for Gryfindor meant Ron and Hermione, Avery and Harry leisurely followed behind the rest of their house towards the Gryfindor tower.

"So your nose is definitely okay right? Nobody asked through all the questions and Hermiones moaning." Avery enquired.

"Yeah, Luna fixed it."

"So did you find out anything? Before Malfoy found you that is?" She grinned.

Harry chuckled and adjusted his glasses on his face, "Not really, just Malfoy being Malfoy."

"Arrogant and conceited?"

"Exactly. Zambini and Parkinson seemed to think he was acting strange though. They kept asking questions."

"Really?" Avery contemplated, "So it's still a mystery then."

"Yeah. It is."

"Nothing new then right? Another year, another mystery." Harry hummed in agreement as Avery sighed, "It's good to be back."

"Isn't it?" Ginny asked, stepping into the middle and linking her arm through both Harrys and Averys. The latter of whom chose to ignore the small blush that formed along Harrys cheeks at the contact. She made a mental note to ask Hermione if she knew anything about any potential feelings between the two, after all she and Harry spent much longer at the Weasleys than Avery herself.

Once they had reached the portrait where the fat lady stood they realised that once again, and this seemed to happen every year, they had not acquired the password to get in. "Come on!" A frustrated fifth year cried, "Just let us in."

"No can do." The fat lady literally sang as Harry, Ginny and Avery pushed through the crowd to the entrance.

"Come on, we're exhausted." Ginny tried, though from past experience she knew it to be fruitless.

"You know the rules."

"We'll just have to guess then." Neville suggested.

"Or we could wait until Hermione and Ron have got the first years settled in? They're sure to notice we're not in there eventually." Harry replied.

"That could take all night if they start arguing again." Avery answered, "Dog ears?"

Nothing. "Pumpkin juice?"

Nothing. "driftwood?"

Nothing. "Polyjuice?"

Nothing. "Mandrake?"

Nothing. "Hogwarts?"

Nothing. "Moonbeam?" Neville called, earning incredulous glances the rest of the students, "Why would it be moo-" someone started as the portrait door swung open to shocked silence.

"How did you know that Neville?" Avery asked, as they began to file inside.

"I just- it's just that there's always moons somewhere around the portrait, there was one on the bottom of her dress."

"You're a genius." Avery grinned, "Somewhere in there is a certified genius."

Neville grinned and blushed at the compliment before wishing everybody a goodnight, with a cheery "See you in the morning."

Most students made their way yawning towards their room, but a few stayed behind in the common room. Avery and Harry on their usual red couch by the fire.

"It's a good thing we like red isn't it?" Avery mused, glancing around the common room at the usual red and gold decorations, "It's also a good thing I have red hair the same colour, even a shade slightly lighter would clash horribly. Poor Ron."

Harry allowed a bark of laughter, and replied, "When he's angry or embarrassed his skin goes the same colour."

"The first years must be having trouble settling in." Harry stated, "I'm sure it doesn't usually take this long."

"Hmm," Avery replied noncommittally, "Why is it always so cold in here?" she questioned as she moved to the floor, closer to the fire and stretched out, ignoring the fact that she would probably dirty her robes even before her first lesson, "Even with fires roaring it's still cold."

Hermione and Ron chose this minute to reappear, Hermiones hair bigger than usual, bits stood on edge, her face pinched. Rons robes crumpled, his face the same red Harry had mentioned previously. "It was messy huh?" Harry asked from where he was now led out on the sofa, feet in Averys vacated space. Avery leaned up on her elbows, warmed by her proximity to the fire. "You look like you just lost a war."

"I think we did." Ron grumbled, "They wouldn't listen to a word we said, I mean, I know its exciting and all but come on! They were asking these ridiculous questions and then when we got to the portrait they were talking so loud that she couldn't even hear us saying the password-"

"When did you find out the password by the way?" Avery interrupted from her spot on the floor.

"On the train." Hermione supplied.

"Thanks for telling us then. We had to guess, who've thought it would have been moonbeam?"

"Apparently Neville." Harry laughed.

"Well it's obvious really, she has moons everywhere and its all she talks about." Hermione intoned.

Avery snorted as Ron continued with his tirade on the first years and before she knew it the others were standing, ready for bed. "Come on Avery." Hermione sighed, "Lets head to bed."

She climbed off of the floor and brushed off her robes, following behind towards the stairs. It was just minutes before she was changed and ready to get into bed, hers was next to Hermiones and opposite Ginnys. "I'm exhausted already." Hermione sighed, "and that's before we even get any work or assignments."

"But it's good to be back though" Avery repeated, "It's good to be home."

**-….-**

**I know this was short and not much happened but it'll get going soon- promise!**

**Also more Draco soon.**

**I cannae remember if Ron or Hermione were prefects so in this they are =]**

**What did you think? Let me know if you wish =]**


	8. It's dark, very very dark

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 8- It's dark, very very dark.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Thanks very much for the reviews and alerts, even those anonymous ones. They make me happy! Keep it up!**

**-….-**

Avery truly didn't know how she got herself into these predicaments. Stuff like this should only happen in those stupid muggle films Hermione always talked about where ridiculous things happened over and over and yet here she was, in exactly the sort of situation the characters in those films always found themselves in.

One minute, she had been sat in potions, absently stirring her potion that she had long ago concluded to be a complete failure, despite her penchant for knowing all things potions she sometimes made mistakes too and this gloopy green thing was definitely one of those, especially since Hermione's was a soft blue colour that looked more like water than whatever the hell Avery's resembled. One moment she had been entranced with watching Snape berate Neville for yet another mishap that had boiled a rather large hole in one of the old cauldrons, deducting yet more house points from Gryffindor then in the next instant her vision had been blocked by a eye full of a fuming Draco Malfoy whose hair, expensive robes and pretty much everything else was covered in a thick green mess that looked suspiciously like the potion she was still stirring. A glance at her now half empty cauldron and green splattered table and personal robes told her that it was not only a similar potion but it was in fact hers. Oops.

She could almost hear Hermione's scalding words, "You should pay attention Avery, it's not a very good impression on your first day back."

Avery could only imagine how many house points Gryffindor would lose for this. Then, not only was Snape, expression stormy, bearing down on her but Malfoy looked just about ready to pull his wand on her and of course Ron, not helping the situation any, was covering his giggle with a hand.

"Greenwood." Malfoy growled, "Why in the name of Merlin would you do that?"

Hundreds of snide remarks passed through the red heads mind but the only sound to come forth from her mouth was a small, "I didn't mean- I wasn't-"

"Greenwood." Snapes own growl interrupted, "Fifty points from Gryffindor, for dirtying the room, another ten for very obviously not paying attention to what could be a potentially dangerous potion and another ten for singling out Mr Malfoy here."

Avery heard the customary, "That's ridiculous." from Harry and scattered groaning from various Gryffindors around the room.

"I didn't single anybody out sir, it was an accident I swear." She grovelled, hoping to avoid the inevitable, "Detention." She cursed under her breath as Snape continued, "Tonight after dinner." Avery met Harry's amused eyes and glared. She didn't find this funny at all, except maybe she found it a little funny that Malfoy was stood fingering clumps of green mixture from his hair, mould coloured stains lingering on the blond strands, apparently the potion smelled bad too, if his scrunched up nose and disgusted expression was anything to go by.

She hadn't realised she was laughing until angry silver eyes landed on hers and she vaguely heard some snickers joining in. She had a sneaking suspicion that most of the laugher was coming from the Slytherin's in the room, conveniently though neither Snape nor Malfoy would notice. "There's nothing funny about this situation Greenwood." Malfoy mumbled as Snape, still fuming performed a wordless cleaning spell over the table and floor and surrounding area but left the contents of Avery's cauldron, no doubt so he could take pleasure in failing her sometime in the future. He also left the mess on both Avery and Malfoys clothes, who knew that Snape took pleasure in other peoples pain and embarrassment? She scoffed at her own inside joke and regretted it immediately after when Malfoys glare landed on her again, "I _said_, It isn't funny."

"It is kind of." She grinned.

"Greenwood." the warning was evident in his voice and she could see his hand, she took pleasure in noticing that I too was covered in crap, reaching into his robe pocket where he no doubt kept his wand. Surely Malfoy wouldn't pull his wand on her in potions, even he, as Snape's obvious favourite should fear the repercussions of doing such a thing. She couldn't however, despite the threat, stop herself from grinning at the sight before her. The Slytherins robes that had obviously cost a lot more than was probably completely necessary were sticky and weighing him down as if he'd just been for a swim fully clothed. His (green) hair dripped onto his pale face and he glared angrily and it was just so damn funny. Avery was thankful that Snape had already walked away to deal with another mishap at the other side of the class room, no doubt the student was too engrossed with this scene to concentrate on their own potion. For a bunch of sixth years they were not very good at this whole potions lark. That thought officially set of a wave of laughter, which she heard Hermione shushing from her table and Harry join in with. "Greenwood!" Malfoy shouted, hands flying for his wand, he pulled the piece from his pocket, but instead of pointing it at Avery like she, and half of the room if the gasps were anything to go by, had expected. Instead the wand pointed to the right of Avery.

"What are you-" she began but was silenced before the question could be finished when a cascade of her potion landed on her head and shoulders.

"Malfoy!" she screamed.

**-….-**

"Hey Avery!" a seventh year Ravenclaw called from his seat at his table as she entered the great hall that dinner time, "You got a bit of gunk in your hair."

Avery scowled, shooting a glare towards the Slytherin table where a newly cleaned Malfoy sat ram rod straight, with a matching glare of his own, the only noticeable difference from his clean demeanour was the green stains that still remained in his hair. Ignoring the snickers that followed her, with taunts of, "Say hey to Snape for me!" "What's with the bad dye job?" she took her usual seat at the Gryffindor table next to Harry and dropped her head onto the table, "Word sure travels fast in this place huh." she grumbled.

"C'mon Ave!" Ron laughed, "This is the funniest thing to happen for a while! On the first day back and all. It was priceless."

"I wish Id been there!" A fifth year who Avery sometimes saw with Ginny exclaimed. Avery couldn't even be bothered to muster up a glare.

"You think its permanent?" Ginny asked Hermione quietly and Avery could just imagine her eyes darting from Malfoys green tinted hair to Averys own.

"I'm sure it'll come out eventually." Hermione replied, ever the diplomat. Everybody heard the unspoken _I hope_ though.

Avery groaned loudly.

"Look on the bright side Ave." Harry said, "At least Malfoy's hair is lighter than yours so the green is more obvious and he got detention too."

"What bright side Harry?" she asked lifting her head from the table, "I have red hair, I look like muggle Christmas decorations for Merlin's sake! And not only that but I have to spend a few hours with Snape and Malfoy after dinner. There is no bright side. Its dark. Very very dark."

"Cheer up Ave, you got the first detention of the year."

"Ronald!" Hermione reprimanded, "That is not something to be proud of, besides, it was an accident wasn't it Avery?"

"Yeah." she sighed, "Kinda wish I had done it on purpose though, would have been worth it then."

Hermione tutted and rolled her eyes, whilst Harry patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"How is it Avery," Dean Thomas questioned from a few seats over, "That you manage to start a fight with Malfoy without even trying? If it's not Harry then it's you."

"He has a point." Harry laughed, " Maybe we need a better pass time?"

"No." Avery disagreed with her first smile since her extremely long and hot shower in which she still hadn't managed to completely rid her self of the green tint which she was pretty certain had a possibility of being radioactive, "I think it's the whole should have been in Slytherin thing. Maybe we're both Malfoys at heart."

They glanced at each other seriously for a few moments before shaking their heads in unison. "Nah."

**-….-**

**I know the whole detention/potion thing has been done before- many times but hopefully mines an ickle different!**

**What did you think? Let me know if you wish =]**


	9. Scrubbing clean

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 9- **

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Thanks very much for the reviews and alerts, even those anonymous ones. They make me happy! Keep it up!**

**-….-**

"This as all your fault Greenwood." Malfoy snarled the moment Avery stepped through the potions classroom door, from his seat at the desk in the front of the room, without even turning around, "You useless bint."

"I didn't ask you to pour the rest of the potion over me Malfoy," she responded instantly as she moved up the aisle slowly, pulling her robes tighter around herself, the potions classroom had always been colder than most, must be a Slytherin thing, "And you should watch the insults. I could have been Snape you know."

"To have been me Miss Greenwood," Snapes equally cold voice drawled from the right of the room, the ingredients cupboard she noticed as she turned towards the sound with a cringe, "you would have had to have arrived on time."

"Sorry sir," she mumbled as she picked up speed, taking the seat beside Malfoy, on the desk that the students named the 'official detention desk' She neglected to give any excuses for her lateness, she knew Snape would chose to ignore them anyway.

"Draco, Greenwood," the professor began, "To say I'm disappointed would be an understatement, it was my belief that the younger students would be trouble this year, not those old enough to know better." He paused, no doubt to let his disappointment wash over the reprimanded students, "Tonight you'll clean the cauldrons used in today's lessons, without magic of course." he held out a hand for their wands which both students handed over begrudgingly. Avery with a glare. "Need I tell you to work civilly with one and other?"

"No sir." Avery mumbled, Malfoy shook his head silently, clenching his jaw.

"Good. Two hours." he said before sweeping from the room in a billow of black robe, wands in hand. Avery groaned as her eyes found the large pile of dirty cauldrons, Snape had no doubt left for this reason, and the pile of cleaning implements beside it.

"Don't even Malfoy." she snapped, noticing that he had opened his mouth to speak, "Not right now."

She stomped towards the pile and hoisted two off of the top and moved towards her usual potions desk with them, moving herself as far away from Malfoy as she could, she watched under her lashes as he moved to do the same. The first cauldron had only a thin layer of light blue liquid in the bottom, the potion that she was supposed to make in lesson today she guessed. It was easy enough to clean with warm water and a hard bristled brush. The next three were relatively the same, some more stained than others, more than likely because they had waited longer for Snape to mark them and vanish them. Avery wondered if there was a spell specifically for vanishing potions but not cleaning the cauldrons in the process. The next cauldron she looked deep into was burned black and she figured it had come for a first year lesson, the same had happened to her and Harrys potion in their first lesson. She was thankful that Malfoy hadn't spoke again since she had snapped at him, the silence was welcoming, even if it was thick with contempt from the Slytherin's side, the Slytherin who despite his insolence and laziness was cleaning his share of the cauldrons dutifully and quickly. She narrowed her eyes as she took in his appearance, the blonde had taken off his robe and rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, a smudge of black stained his cheek and his hair was still tinted green. Avery suppressed a grin at the memory and deduced that even though she was stuck here now and had green tinted hair, it was totally worth it.

She returned to cleaning and couldn't suppress a bark of laughter when the next cauldron she peered into held the remnants of the thick gloopy mess she, herself had made, and consequently found herself bathed in today.

"Shut it Greenwood!" Malfoy growled from across the room, glaring angrily, visibly grinding his teeth together. Avery raised an eyebrow and grumbled, "Sorry, for Merlin's sake! Bloody Nazi."

Malfoy tutted, every inch the arrogant git that Avery knew him to be and returned to his work. Avery took that cue, wondering what time it was, hoping they were entitled to leave soon and returned to her own cleaning, a smile pulling at her lips again as she scrubbed roughly at the green stains.

There was a few moments of silence before Malfoys voice sounded, "Greenwood?"

"Yes?" she sighed, steeling herself for another insult or argument starter.

"What's a Nazi?"

"Excuse me?" she asked, taking in the confused frown on the blonds face.

"You called me a Nazi. What is that?" A few responses crossed Averys mind, the first to stare in shock at the ice prince as he had been so aptly nick named in Hogwarts and marvel over the fact that he had not only asked her a question, but been civil about it and was willing to admit that there was something he didn't know, the second was to laugh loudly and the third was to tell him the truth. She opted for the last.

"I don't- I don't actually know, it was something Hermione told me about the muggle world. Something about a war. I just know the word is a bad thing to be called."

"Right." he said slowly, the old snarkiness creeping back into his voice.

"Sometimes muggle words seep into my vocabulary." she felt the need to explain. She was after all a pure blood like Malfoy himself, though she wasn't nearly as excited abut it, nor did she hold up many of the pure blood values, if any at all.

"I wouldn't know any." Malfoy stated firmly, his tone of voice and the way he returned to his work indicating that the conversation was over.

Avery swallowed and spoke, "Malfoy?"

"What?"

"Have you ever taken to time to speak to a muggle born, other than to insult them?" the blonds silence told her the answer was a resounding no, "They're not evil, they're not dirty, some are more powerful than most pure bloods," she stated, Hermione immediately passing through her thoughts, "Maybe you'd get along with some of them, y'know, if you tried."

The Slytherin opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the classroom door swinging open, Snape storming through. Avery heaved a sigh of relief, ready to return to the common room and somehow prove to Hermione that she hadn't murdered Malfoy during her time here, she would have to borrow Harry's map to do so. Cold dark eyes moved over her and the Malfoy, assessing for any damage or signs of fighting, after finding nothing he growled, "Leave."

Avery couldn't bolt from the classroom quick enough. Though she stopped at the door way, and glanced behind her, Draco Malfoy stood in his same position, staring at his teacher and God father with concern in his eyes. Snape moved to his desk tiredly and glanced at his favoured student, "Later." he said, to which Malfoy nodded obediently and moved to slip his robes back onto his shoulders. Avery shook her head and began the journey back to her common room.

**-….-**

**So yeah, its like 1.15 here and I have college at 8 tomorrow so I had to end it here and Ive saved the half of the next chapter so it should be up soon.**

**Let me know what you think if you want =]**


	10. Harry's gone again

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 10- Harry's gone again**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Just quickly before we start, some ones review reminded me that it was in fact Slughorn that was photons teacher this year and it made me bang my head against the table- hard- because I had a total blank moment and didn't realise. My bad, I'll remedy that soon. Please remember though that this fic will be going just a tiny bit AU.**

**Thanks guys!**

**-….-**

Shrugging off the questions that immediately popped into her head about the haggard potions professor and his favourite student Avery ambled her way back to the Gryffindor common room, unable to take the weight of her robes on her shoulders for much longer, she muttered "Moonbeam" tiredly to the portrait who looked more than a little unhappy at the interruption of her grooming in her hand held mirror that Avery was sure she had broken a few years back. "Thanks" she called back as she stepped through the hole to find the common room relatively empty but for a few fourth year students studying in a corner and Hermione and Ron sat close together on the usual couch by the fire, Hermiones eyes looked more worried than usual, Avery frowned, "What's wrong?" she asked as she took the seat on the far end of the couch, "Where's Harry?"

"We don't know," Ron answered, "Dumbledore came by not long after you left for detention."

"Said he needed Harry for a meeting about assignment help this year. A pretence of course, Harry isn't too bad at his assignments of course, something is going on." Hermione took over.

"That's-"

"Hey people, have any of you seen Harry?" Ginny's voice interrupted as she moved to take a seat near them, "I cant find him anywhere."

"He's off somewhere with Dumbledore." Ron said tiredly.

"Another mission?" Ginny asked, a hint of worry lacing her voice.

"He'll be fine." Avery piped in, "I'm sure they haven't even left school grounds, it's like illegal or something isn't it?"

"How was your classes today?" Hermione asked in a motherly way, still under the idea that Ginny needed protecting from the world, changing the subject tactfully.

"The usual" the youngest Weasley replied with a shrug, "Except DADA, we had a supply, apparently no teacher was appointed this year and I don't remember Dumbledore mentioning anybody in his speech." Now that Avery thought about it the DADA professors place at the head table had been empty at the sorting ceremony.

"The guy looked like they had just pulled him off of the bloody street, scared he was, said our real teacher should be here soon though."

"Hopefully." Ron said ruefully, "Merlin knows we need all of the defence we can get these days."

Avery swallowed, remembering the newspaper clippings that she had seen over the holidays of wizard attacks in muggle cities. Things were getting worse, anybody could see that. She felt herself pulled roughly back to reality at the memory, all the fear and pain that had been evident in the moving pictures. She suddenly felt very childish that her latest worries had been a detention with Draco Malfoy. There was much bigger problems. Bigger even than education and exams, she thought, though she knew Hermione would reverently disagree.

"I wonder who we'll get?" Hermione mused, "Someone good I hope."

"Yeah, not like that poncey Lockhart guy." Ron scoffed and Avery found herself smiling as she remembered how most of the male students had resented the guy and how most of the female students, herself included had fancied him something mad, despite his complete in competency as a teacher and as it later turned out, as a wizard at all.

"He wasn't so bad." Ginny grinned raising an eyebrow towards Avery.

"Yeah" Avery said slowly as she caught on, "and he was awfully handsome wasn't he 'mione?"

"Oh yes," the smart girl replied with a grin and a sly glance at a quickly reddening Ron, who crossed his arms over his chest, "Very handsome."

"Ha Ha." Ronald mumbled grouchily.

"So I take it you guys are going to be keeping an all night vigil until Harry's return then?" Ginny questioned knowingly. Ron nodded immediately and Hermione replied with the affirmative. Avery sighed and nodded, "I'm going to go and get changed." she said, noticing that the other three were already wrapped up in comfortable pyjamas and dressing gowns. "Oh Avery, an owl bought a package for you tonight, pecked at our dorm window, its on your bed" Hermione called, Avery nodded and silently made her way to the room she shared with Hermione and the other girls. A few slept soundly under their quilts and Avery was thankful that no one was awake, far too tired to participate in unnecessary conversation. She flopped down onto her bed and stretched tiredly. She blinked as he head hit something hard, "Ow." she grumbled, reaching behind herself to catch what must have been the parcel that Hermione had mentioned. It was a large square, wrapped in brown paper and string, in the exact way that Matilda was known for. Avery smiled in anticipation, as she read the small piece of parchment attached. _Avery_, the note read, _I was doing some sorting at the house and came across this, I wasn't sure what to do with it and as you are spending the Christmas holidays with the Weasleys I thought it prudent to send it to you now, you may decide what you wish to do with it. If you wish to keep it left here then simply send it back. I hope to hear from you very soon, preferably in the next few days. I miss you terribly! All my love, Matilda._

Avery smiled and placed the letter, and her wand from her pocket on the small table beside her bed and sat up to rip the brown paper from the package. It revealed a familiar looking red book with Averys name scrawled across the front. Her writing she thought, when she was roughly eight? She could just make out words above her name and reached across for her wand, "Lumos" she whispered and read the words as 'property of' Avery Greenwood. She opened the first page with her wand hand and moved the light over the photograph on the page, it was of her, what must have been weeks after she was born, cradled in the arms of a red headed man she knew to be her father. She smiled thinly, having never met her father at an age she could remember she didn't particularly feel much, maybe an emptiness, but nothing emotionally crippling, at a younger age she had cried over the lack of a father figure in her life and how it wasn't fair that others had what she didn't but eventually it had become of little importance, after all there were people like Harry who had neither parents and no adult presence to look up to. She turned the page, confronted with an image of her mother and father and herself at the age of two, her father was looking at her mother adoringly and her mother was smiling, something that Avery hadn't seen in a long time. There were pages and pages of pictures in the book, as she grew older throughout them, her father disappeared and her mother stopped occupying the pictures to be replaced with other nannies and eventually Matilda. There was one picture however that caught her eye more than the others, she must have been five or six, sat uncomfortably in a wooden chair in an unfamiliar room, behind her stood her mother and next to her, no way, was that? Yes it was, Snape and next to him Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa, Greyback? A regular death eater meeting it seemed, bloody hell. Also, standing awkwardly in front of his fathers cloak was a little blonde haired boy the same age as Avery. Draco. Glaring at the camera, shrinking away from his fathers hand on his shoulders. Avery blinked, well she guessed all death eater parents were the same then. She marvelled at how much it no longer hurt her that her own mother was the enemy, at how her entire childhood had been spent with these people. She sighed and closed the book, and moved to place it in her trunk, making a mental note to reply to Matilda at breakfast the next morning. She undressed quickly and pulled on her bed clothes before heading back to the others downstairs.

Ginny sat slumped in the chair watching Ron and Hermione with a small smile on her face, eyes tired , Hermione, when Avery looked, was sleeping, gently snuffling against Rons shoulder and Crookshanks had at some time appeared on her lap. Avery vaguely wondered where Dragon was at this moment but was soon distracted by the bright red blush that swam its way up Ronald Weasleys cheeks and neck. Ginny caught her eye and smiled knowingly. "Anything?" Avery whispered so as not to wake her smart friend. Ginny shook her head mutely and Ron moved to shrug but instead mumbled a small "No."

Avery sighed and dropped to the ground in her usual spot and settled down for a long night, thankful that she didn't have any homework or assignments right then, no doubt if they had Hermione would have stayed awake and threatened them with curses until they were working diligently. She belatedly noticed that the fourth year students had already retired to bed. They were safe to speak freely, "So you have no idea where he's gone?"

"Knowing Dumbledore he's on another planet." was the returned reply to which Ron hummed softly.

"Not quite." Harrys voice cut through the contented silence.

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed, "Where did you go?"

Hermione shot from Ron's shoulder, eyes wide, "Harry!" Ron looked a little affronted at Hermione's attention shift but stood nonetheless, "Was it something to do with, well you know mate."

"It wasn't anything to do with Voldemort this time Ron." Harry replied, touching Hermiones arm reassuringly and glancing at the others, "Dumbledore took me to find the new potions master, said he had wanted to go weeks ago but he'd been too busy"

"New potions master?" Avery asked, pulling herself off of the ground and moving towards the group.

"Horace Slughorn." Harry supplied.

"Slughorn?" Hermione asked, immediately slipping into information mode, "Ive heard of him, he was head of Sytherin in the, uh 40s? And potions master, he went into hiding when this whole Voldemort fiasco began, why did he come back? Why did you have to go?"

"I'm the reason he is back." Harry sighed, "Dumbledore took me as an incentive for him to return, apparently he likes to have connections to- important people." he sounded uncomfortable.

"You're the most important mate." Ron said, none of the fifth year bitterness present, thankfully.

"Yeah, well." He coughed, "For some reason it was important for him to become the potions master. He seems a tad weird, but he's got to be better than Snape yeah?"

"Course." Ron scoffed. "But then what will Snape do? Maybe he's leaving."

The excitement in Ron's voice was only a little contagious until Hermione rolled her tired eyes, "No Ronald, there's no DADA professor remember?"

Avery and Ginny groaned in unison. "You don't think-"

"Of course, that's the job he's always wanted isn't it?"

"Great." Harry sighed, "I've had a hand in making a death eater our defence teacher."

"This day just keeps getting better and better." Avery sighed.

Harry grinned, "Oh yeah, how was your detention with Malfoy?"

"Shut up!"

**-….-**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	11. Vanilla

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 11- Vanilla**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm re writing it to my story so the dialogue is not that same as it is in the books or films in the scenes you may recognise =]**

**-….-**

Harry and Ron were late. Again.

Avery had expected as much, that they had been on time to lesson yesterday, the first day back to lessons had been a miracle and it seemed only right that they should return to their normal ways now. She could feel Hermione fuming beside her where she stood watching the new potions professor, Slughorn she knew, tinkering away with some vials she hadn't paid any attention to, his nasally voice droning on about the days work. He was even more tedious than Snape, Avery believed, shocked to find herself almost missing the greasy haired Slytherin sympathiser. She noticed, though, with some satisfaction that the Slytherins in the room didn't seem to happy with the teacher change. Their annoyance made it just a little better she guessed. She suppressed a small grin as she noticed Malfoy slouched angrily against a desk, his lackeys around him. Before she had barely moved her eyes away Slughorn turned towards a noise at the door and who else but Harry and Ron standing awkwardly in the doorway. She heard Hermione sigh in annoyance beside her and shook her head fondly.

"Harry, I'd been starting to worry" Professor Slughorn said, "Who is this?"

"Ron Weasley sir." Ron mumbled with a charming grin, resolutely ignoring the muffled comments from the Slytherin side of the room, "I'm well bad a potions, I probably shouldn't even be here. Menace I am."

Avery choked on her laughter as Harry physically stopped Ron from leaving the room at the same time the professor rebuked the red heads feeble attempt at leaving the class permanently.

"Actually sir," she heard Harry's voice say, "We haven't got our books yet."

"Not to worry," Slughorn replied, "The cupboard is full of them. Get what you need."

Avery noticed a ripple of annoyance run through the crowd of students, a few of which had been told off for forgetting various books and equipment this lesson. Sometimes Harry's fame wasn't the most well liked thing in Hogwarts. As the two boys disappeared into the cupboard Slughorn questioned the rest of the class as to what he had made on the table before them. Avery grimaced, whatever it was it didn't smell too fresh. Of course Hermione was the first, and only, student to raise her hand with the answer. "Yes miss-"

"Granger sir."

"Of course Miss Granger- please tell us, what is this?"

Hermione slowly moved forward, inspecting the contents of each cauldron and began to quickly and efficiently list of each one. Harry and Ron emerged from behind and a silently as possible slipped into the circle, Rons form moving to Averys left.

"It's the worlds most powerful love potion," she heard Hermione say as she refocused, "Rumour has it that when successfully made, which is extremely difficult, it will smell different to each person, depending on what attracts them, for example I smell, freshly mown grass, parchment and spearmint toothpaste." Avery found herself once again wishing she had Hermiones brain capacity, having already forgotten most of what she had said before the love potion.

"Well done miss Granger, would anyone else like to step forward? How about you?" he pointed to a shy Slytherin girl in the back who shook her head quickly.

"You?" he asked, pointing towards Avery who nodded wearily.

"Avery Greenwood," she supplied before questioned as she stepped towards the mixture, breathing in deeply, "I smell, burnt wood, a hint of, of roses, vanilla, parchment."

"Well done." the professor said as she returned to her place in the group, "Now of course this potion cannot cause real love, just powerful infatuation, or obsession." He replaced the lid quickly, "Of course it is the most powerful potion in this room."

"What is in that one sir?" a voice questioned.

"Ah yes," Slughorn said, as if he had forgotten the last one, a small tear drop shaped vial hanging from a clamp, "This."

Whether or not he had meant to add the mysteriousness to his voice Avery didn't know, but her interest was peaked, as it seemed was many others.

"Felix Felisis." he named it, and Avery found her eyes widening, lips moving to form the words 'liquid luck' as Hermione said them aloud.

"Correct. Almost impossible to make, tricky to do, but when made correctly you will find that all of your endeavours succeed. At least until it wears off of course." he explained, carefully removing the vial from the clamp.

"This is what I offer to you today. A prize if you will. To the student who manages to brew an acceptable draft of Living dead in the next hour. Only one student has ever managed to claim this prize, so I wish you luck. Page ten of your books. Of you go!"

Avery smiled, rushing to her seat like all of the others in the room, all of whom were eager to have the prize, she wasn't awful at potions, acceptable enough to make it into the class at least, she could do this, she just had to pay attention and concentrate. Surely it couldn't be that hard. Right?

**-….-**

This was ridiculously hard Avery realised as her Sopophorus bean slipped from her knife for the fourth time. She noticed with a little satisfaction that even potions heavy weights like Malfoy and Hermione were frowning over their ingredients. She noticed, with some shock, Harry drop in his bean with a triumphant smile.

"How did you do that?" Hermione hissed over the table.

"Crush it." Harry said almost wondrously, consulting his borrowed text book again.

"But it specifically says to cut it." Hermione argued.

Avery shrugged and crushed her bean with the side of her knife, noticing that it died easily, and crushed the liquid innards into her potion. "It works." she told Hermione quietly, with a 'just go with it' shrug. Though Hermione had already turned back to her own book.

Avery continued to read from her text book, every now and then glancing around the room as a small explosion sounded or somebody screamed. She turned her attention back to her own potion as it began to bubble over angrily. She stepped back, praying silently to Merlin that it would not explode. Luckily only a small pop sounded and as she returned to her place she noticed that her potion had crystallised. "What the?" She poked the top layer with her wand and squeaked as the contents smashed into millions of tiny crystal pieces. "I'm out." she said sadly to the people around her table who were glancing at her, laughing. Except Hermione who was looking more and more angry at her potion.

Slughorn didn't even bother to test her potion when he came around the tables, though he spent minutes gushing over Harrys with words like "perfect, wonderful."

It came as no surprise to Avery when Harry won the liquid luck. Though it bloody well should have. Harry had never completed a good potion and now he had won this almost incomparable prize. She clapped reluctantly, which was better than the Slytherins who made no move to congratulate at all. Harry's smile though, was infectious and she found herself proud of him, she hadn't seen him so happy in a long while.

They left the potions room subdued, sweaty and tired, except Harry who seemed rightfully excited and unfazed. Hermione's hair stood bushier than usual, her usual composure missing. Ron walked beside Harry, beaming, "That was bloody brilliant mate! How'd you do that?"

"I dunno mate, just followed the book."

Avery noticed, as the Slytherins filed from the room, that Pansy Parkinson's front was covered in a gloopy sludge, Blaise, who nodded towards Avery, had his normally neat robes slung over his arm and Malfoy, though his hair was as usual immaculate, had dark rings around his eyes and his lips turned downwards.

"I dunno how you did it mate." Ron continued, "I really don't."

Harry grinned, "Luck I guess. Come on, try outs after class, keep concentrating."

"It's amazing isn't it?" Hermione said to Avery as the boys moved away, "They turn up late, get free books and then Harry brews the best potion. Its just-"

"I know Mione. I know."

**-….-**

"Lets sit here." Hemione said, casting a quick drying spell on the damp bench, "We'll get a clear view of the entire pitch this way."

Avery nodded and dropped her bag beside her, sitting down on the uncomfortable seat, noticing Hermione send a small wave towards Ron.

She watched in excitement as Ginny weaved in and out of the other players, and Ron blocked every shot, as did McCormack on the opposite side whom Avery noticed kept glancing over at Hermione. She heard the audience gasp and turned back to Ron's side, where she saw him hanging from his broom. "Oh no." she groaned.

"Come on Ron!" she cried along with a few others, clapping as he pulled himself back into position, "He's doing great Hermione." she comforted her tense friend beside her, who seemed focused on the other keeper as the ball shot towards him. Avery frowned as the boys broom shot to the side and the ball flew through the hoop.

"Hermione!" she scolded, "Was that you?"

Hermione shot a small smile in her direction. Avery could stop herself from barking a laugh as Ron blocked another shot. "I'd never believe you to pay dirty 'Mione."

**-….-**

"I didn't think I'd get that last one." Ron grinned from his seat on the sofa, "It looked like it was going past but- I got it.- y'know, he's got a thing for you Hermione. McCormack has."

"He's vile." Hermione stated, not once raising her eyes from her paper. Avery knew what Ron said to be correct, she had seen McCormack staring, she also knew Hermione to be right, there was something sleazy about the boy.

"No I haven't!" Hermione snapped at Harry who had said something whilst Avery was thinking, "If you had a shred of self respect you would hand the book in."

"What's this?" Avery asked, feeling as if she had missed something.

"Didn't I tell you?" Hermione asked, Avery shook her head no, "Harry won that potion challenge because he cheated. The book has alternative notes in it."

"Really? Can I see?" Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry handed the book to his red headed friend.

"Property of the half blood prince, who names themselves that?" Avery mumbled, flicking through the pages full of scribbles and alternative instructions, "What is sectumsempra?" she asked.

"That's what I asked Hermione." Harry replied, "I've never heard of it before."

"Neither have I. For enemies." Avery mused handing the book back.

"He wont hand it back Hermione." Ron said, "He's top of the class, Slughorn thinks he is a genius I reckon."

Hermiones glare silenced anything else that was to be said though Avery grinned at Harry from her position, telling him with her eyes that if she were in his position, she would keep it too. Harry, knowing full well her meaning grinned back.

**-….-**

"Don't you want to know at all?" Hermione questioned as they trudged their way through the snow, Averys boots sinking into the tresses, heavy, "You've had that book for weeks and not even tried to find out who it is."

"She's right mate, you sleep with the bloody thing, aren't you curious?" Ron asked.

"I don't sleep with it."

"Yeah you do."

It was true, Avery thought, Harry hadn't seemed to put the book down since he had found it in the first week and had been reading it non stop in his spare time. For weeks he had used the book in lesson and every single potion he had attempted had been perfectly successful. Avery had even found herself watching Harry in a few lessons and trying her best to copy his movements, she suspected he knew too because sometimes he would move slower and move his ingredients into clearer view. Secretly of course, Hermione would never agree. She was still angry that he used the book at all, though loyal as she was she would never tell anyone and risk Harry being in trouble. All they needed was fir it to get back to McGonagall and anybody who knew would be in detention for weeks. Avery just thought it lucky that Snape no longer taught them that lesson, he would definitely suspect something if useless Harry Potter suddenly became the potions expert he was charading to be. It was strange, seeing professor Snape in the DADA position, his dark brooding image seemed out of place in the brightly lit room, though he taught them well, the curriculum that seemed perfect for their year group and age group and Avery didn't think she had learned as much since Lupin, or Dumbledore's army, though she had been more of a teacher in that scenario.

"Well I was curious." Hermione continued, "So I went to the-"

"Library." the three listening friends said in unison.

"What did you find?" Harry asked interest piqued.

"Nothing." Hermione spat as if she were disgusted with her inability to gleam information, though Avery guessed she probably was, "there was no references anywhere, absolutely nothing."

"That sucks." Avery mumbled, eyes following Slughorn ahead of them as he invited what had to be the third person for drinks, another who subsequently turned him down with some half hearted excuse. Avery could almost sense Harrys hero complex settling in. "Anyone for butterbeer?" he questioned.

"Definitely." Avery exclaimed, "It'll be much warmer in the three broomsticks."

And it was, Avery was glad to see, immediately hearing Slughorn chatting away to a group of people at the bar, thankful he wasn't alone like Harry had worried. Harry heaved a sigh of relief and led them towards an empty table in the back.

Harry moved to remove his jacket, staring unblinkingly towards the entrance. Avery turned to see the receding shock of blonde hair inside one of the doors. What was Malfoy doing here? And alone it seemed. She vaguely heard Hermione ordering drinks as she took off her own winter jacket and took her seat.

"Is that your sister?" Avery asked at the same moment that Ron groaned.

"Oh they're only holding hands." Hermione admonished, "And snogging."

"Id like to leave." Ron said angrily.

"Oh hush Ronald. What if she looked over here and saw you snogging me, would you expect her to walk out?"

Avery found an awkward silence fall across the table and was thankful when the potions professors voice sounded loudly above them. "Harry my boy!"

"Wonderful to see you sir!" Harry replied, shaking the only slight inebriated professors hand, "what brings you here?"

"The three broomsticks and I go much further back than I would care to admit!" he replied cheerfully, sloshing his drink to the side, the contents tipping over the females. Hermione jumped and Avery jumped back, pushing her chair back with a scrape. "All hands on deck Granger." the professor laughed, ignoring Avery's spluttered protests.

"I'm going to go and wash this off." she said to Hermione, gesturing to her shirt where it seemed the majority of Slughorns drink had landed. Hermione nodded that she had heard.

Avery sighed and made her way towards the rest rooms, ignoring the questioning look that Ginny and her new beau sent her way as she moved past them. She stepped into the brightly lit room, and clapped her hands around her pockets in search of her wand. She groaned, realising she had left it in the pocket of her jacket. Avery settled for the muggle way and pulled some toilet roll out of one of the cubicles, dabbing her chest and stomach with it, and binning the wads after. The tissue didn't do much except leave small bits of tissue on her wet t-shirt. She figured she would have to brave the stares again and do a drying charm in the public place of their table, hoping she wouldn't have to take her top off to do so, if that were the case she would have to come to the bathroom again. Her legs felt too heavy and tired from the snow to do so.

She glanced at herself in the mirror, leaning over the sink, her pale cheeks were still flushed red from the snow and indoor heat. Her hair was wet under the black hat she still wore and her shirt was soaked. She wouldn't be winning any beauty pageants today she knew. It didn't matter that she didn't necessarily know what a beauty pageant was.

On her way out of the bathroom she found herself halted by a broad back.

"Merlin!" she cried, cursing her luck that day.

"Watch it Greenwood." a haughty, familiar voice sounded.

"Malfoy." she sighed, resigned to yet another bad thing happening to top it off.

"What happened to you?" was the question she was not expecting.

"Slughorn happened." she mumbled, glancing towards her table where the aforementioned professor still stood with Harry.

"Useless oaf." the Slytherin grumbled.

"He's not." Avery found herself immediately answering back.

"You're attire speaks another story."

Avery frowned and moved to step around him but found herself asking, "Are you wearing perfume?"

"Excuse me?"

"You smell like vanilla." she replied absently, toying with the hem of her still wet t-shirt.

"Whatever Greenwood," Malfoy answered with a raised eyebrow, effortlessly whipping his wand from his blazer and muttering a spell. Avery immediately felt her clothe dry and looked down, shocked that she hadn't been deformed in some way at the Slytherin princes hand.

"Why'd you.."

"Wouldn't want one of your useless friends disfiguring you now would we." was the response she received before he turned and flounced from the tavern. As the door closed behind him she realised that in her astonishment at him actually being, dare she say it, nice or helpful, she had forgotten to ask him why he was here in the first place.

**-….-**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	12. Would that make you happy Malfoy?

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 12- Would that make you happy?**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm re writing it to my story so the dialogue is not that same as it is in the books or films in the scenes you may recognise =]**

**-….-**

"So when were you guys planning on telling me that Fleur and Bill are getting married?" Avery asked as she dropped into a seat near Ron and Hermione in the common room the next evening, her Herbology books dropping from her lap to the floor with a bang.

"Excuse me?" Hermione questioned, looking up from her ancient runes text book.

"Y'know. Fleur. Bill. Getting married." She stated.

"Oh. I 'fout you knew, everyone elsh do's" Ron spat around a mouthful of chocolate frog with a grin, "Ish drivin' mum bloody mad."

"No." Avery said with a barely concealed look of disgust, "I didn't, I just found out from Ginny when I asked her why she was prancing around the hall putting on a French accent."

"She's goo' at tha'!" Ron exclaimed, still chewing.

"We found out in the holidays and we told Harry, I honestly thought you knew." Hermione placated.

"Harry as well? Wait, where is Harry anyway?"

"He's in his lesson with Dumbledore." Ron said, body tensing slightly, chocolate smeared over his chin.

"Really Ronald." Hermione snapped, wordlessly conjuring a tissue, "You're an animal."

"Well I can't help it." he grumbled, using the tissue to clean himself.

"Do you have no decorum?"

"What does that even mean?" Ron spluttered.

"Guys!" Avery said loudly, attracting attention from a few of the younger years in the common room, eager to stop their argument before it escalated and she could no longer get a word in, "What lessons with Dumbledore?"

Hermione cringed as Ron immediately cried, "You don't know?"

Avery ground her teeth together loudly, beginning to feel angry, "Apparently not."

"Yeah, 'Arry has private lessons now, to prepare him y'know, for facing off with V-Vold- The dark lord. They run past curfew apparently."

"Facing off?"

Hermione bit her lip, anticipating the many different outcomes of this conversation, the most likely being Avery's inevitable feelings of alienation at not knowing what the others did. Being one of the smartest witches of their generation, something she had been told numerous times, she realised that there was no way to avoid such an outcome, so proceeded to explain.

"You remember the prophecy? The one that was smashed at the ministry last year?"

"Yes. Of course." Avery replied, rather impatient.

"Well Professor Dumbledore had a memory of it." she started, "During the holidays before Harry came to the burrow, he showed him. They know what the prophecy said."

"And?" Avery prompted, eyes wide, every bit as curious as to what the prophecy said as the others were, had been at least, she'd spent all holidays wondering and it had come to nothing and the others had known all along it seemed.

"Neither can live while the other survives."

"Neither can live while the other survives" Avery repeated slowly.

"It means only Harry can beat him. He needs to be trained." Hermione finished.

After a moment of silence Avery asked the inevitable, "Why didn't you tell me? Harry is in more peril than we knew and no one told me."

Hermione sighed, "I'm sorry Avery, truly, it just, it didn't cross my mind. We're so used to just being together in the holidays that it doesn't always seem like there's someone missing until we're back in Hogwarts and then it's so busy that- we just forgot."

Hermione blanched, wrong thing to say. Avery frowned.

"Yeah. It's just over the last years you've been with your mum and we haven't been able to tell you stuff so it's just stuck." Ron added, in what he thought must be a helpful manner.

Avery swallowed, clenching the arms of her chair and shifting forward, "So you're still afraid that I'll run off and tell my death eater mummy?"

"No. Avery." Hermione started pleadingly as Ron's face distorted into confusion, and at the sound of Hermione's voice Avery knew she might be over reacting a little, but she couldn't stop the anger and sadness from welling up inside her, nor could she forget what Pansy Parkinson had hissed at her that day as she stepped through the door for dinner searching for her friends.

"_What's the matter Greenwood? The trio finally ditched their tag along?"_

The words hadn't stung her at the time, she'd grown used to ignoring the jibes from the Slytherin's and she had also known that sometimes she wasn't told everything but the words had niggled at her for most of dinner and the tiny amount of pain had been intensified when she had taken a seat near Neville and Ginny, her usual seat occupied by an overzealous Colin Creevey, and found out the wedding news.

She had spent the evening in the library, studying up on her Herbology, something, she was completely ashamed to say she had received a T for Troll in for her OWLS. Though she wouldn't necessarily admit to her terrible grade she would be the first to admit that she was just dreadful at the subject, she could probably, if left to her own devices, turn the most harmless blade of grass into a man eating monster. It was often the subject of jokes between her house. By default her terrible grade should mean that she didn't have to take it this year along with all of her other subjects but Professor McGonnagal had seen it fit to 'give her another chance' much to her chagrin, which meant a lot of extra work and homework. So she had spent the even studying, and festering over Parkinsons words and the evidence to support the claim.

The recent conversation had only served to add more ammunition.

"Avery that's not true." Hermione said, "you know that's not true."

"I think I'm going to go for a walk."

"Ave. It's after curfew. What if Snape sees you?" Hermione called.

"I think I would prefer Snape's company right now." she replied, if a little vindictively she stalked from the room with only her wand in her pocket, leaving the rest of her stuff behind.

She knew that Hermione would be too against breaking the rules to come after her and Ron wouldn't understand what was happening until it was explained so she would be alone for a while. She just had to find somewhere. Only slightly cursing not having an invisibility cloak of her own to use whenever she needed, she shuffled along, close to the walls, keeping an eye out for any teachers or prefects, contrary to her previous comment she didn't fancy more detentions with Snape for a while.

Before she had realised where she was heading she found herself climbing the stairs to the Astronomy tower, she had always found the tower to be a bit of a sanctuary, she was after all a huge lover of astronomy, having received an Outstanding in her OWLS, she wasn't exactly sure how far she could go with it as far as the future was concerned, but it was nice to have something she enjoyed whilst she was in Hogwarts. Whilst lessons, late as they were, were fun and relaxing she preferred to spend some time up there alone, staring out over the peaceful grounds, though as the years had progressed and the threat level had heightened she had had much less time to do so.

The air was chilly inside, outside, whatever it was classed as, and she pulled her robes tighter around herself. Avery moved deeper into the tower, and leant gently against the railings breathing deeply, allowing her mind to run over the events of that evening and the previous years.

She didn't often feel alienated or left out, she had understood that her friends couldn't contact her over the holidays for the first four years, even before they had known of her mothers allegiance with the dark lord, it had been suspected and her mothers anger at Avery's house placement hadn't exactly served as the best bribe to allow prolonged contact with Gryffindors, especially those considered blood traitors, mud bloods and of course the infallible boy who lived. By default, Avery should have hated them too, she, like most pure blood children had been raised to do so after all, but the three of them had been so kind on the first day and a bit crazy in Hermiones case and she had found her first day jitters disappearing and found herself laughing. Laughing like she wasn't able too at home, especially not in front of guests or strangers. So there was no regret, not about the house sorting, not about her friends or rivals. She was happy where she was, yet, there was times when she was left out, not trusted even, in third year, Harry and Hermione had taken the time turner and left her in the woods with Remus in wolf form, something they had apologised profusely for and had put down to the spur of the moment and panic. Avery had agreed and she had been okay with it, until now at least. Then there was fifth year, she almost hadn't been at the ministry, she had found out by accident that they were planning something, she had later heard that it was because Harry worried that her mother would be there, which had been a correct assumption, but the fact of the matter was that she was in on this, she was on there side and had almost been overlooked. She knew she was sulking and probably being paranoid too, after all most of Hogwarts seemed more subdued this year, attacks being reposted in the prophet almost daily now, maybe she was catching the mood.

She just needed sleep that was all and then in the morning she would be fine again, she'd stay here for a few more minutes and-

"Greenwood?"

She closed her eyes tight and sighed, bracing herself for whatever the pointy pureblood behind her was ready to throw her way, only mildly hoping that it wouldn't be a hex that he threw.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Of course, she hadn't expected a straight answer after all.

"You could, but I asked you first."

"Typical Gryffindor, acting like a toddler." was the offered response.

Avery continued to stare out on the grounds, aware of Malfoy moving around behind her and talking to her almost amicably. She would have probably gotten angry if she weren't so tired and if the whole altercation weren't so normal and familiar. She found herself smiling slightly and quelled it quickly as she remembered why she was there in the first place. She heard Malfoy move closer the railing where she stood, as far away as possible over the other side, and could feel more than see as he stared towards her beseechingly.

"Trouble in paradise?" he questioned conversationally, smirking slightly.

"They don't tell me anything you know." she stated quickly, "If you're looking to see if we have some brilliant plan to foil Voldemort," she barely registers the Slytherin's flinch at the name, "then you may as well stop. Even if we did I wouldn't know."

"So there is trouble then." the blonde replied almost wistfully.

"Would that make you happy Malfoy?" she snapped, pushing off of the railings and stalking towards the exit, slamming the tower door behind her with extra gusto.

"Of course it would." his voice trailed out after her.

She sighed again, and decided to make her way back to the Gryffindor tower, for the aforementioned sleep she needed, leaving the tower, Malfoy and hopefully the worries niggling at her mind behind. Luna would probably say that a wrackspurt had gotten to her. Maybe one had. She blinked back stray tears and swallowed, carrying on with her journey contemplating the best way to apologise to Hermione for over reacting.

Already, it was a long term.

**-….-**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	13. Wordless

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 13- Wordless.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm re writing it to my story so the dialogue is not that same as it is in the books or films in the scenes you may recognise =]**

**-….-**

"Excuse me!" Professor Dumbledore's voice rang out across the hall from where he now stood on his podium. The hall quieted immediately, most students too engrossed in their dinner to have even realised he was standing until he spoke.

Avery turned to the front of the hall expectantly. Harry and Neville to her right continued to talk earning a harsh "Shut up!" from Hermione who was still slightly hurt at Avery's outburst the previous evening.

"Many of you may have noticed that my speech at the beginning of this year was rather short and vague." Avery had to agree, she hadn't been paying much attention but it had seemed shorter than usual, "This is because some things have been put into place over the week we have been back that were not ready at the beginning of the term. Some changes. You may notice that there is a new addition to our staff table. Some of you have already had lessons with him, for those of you who haven't this is Horace Slughorn. He is returning to Hogwarts this year to resume his post as potions professor." Dumbledore paused and gestured to Slughorn who looked tiny wedged in-between Hagrid and McGonagall. He gave a small wave at the smatterings of applause through the hall, mostly overshadowed by the many questions.

"What will Snape teach?"

"So who's this new DADA teacher then?"

"Why is he here?"

"Obviously, this means that Professor Snape will no longer be teaching potions, he will be moving to the post of teacher of defence against the dark arts." Dumbledore continued leaving another pause for the students reaction.

The Slytherin table erupted in applause, but the Gryffindor table couldn't have been further opposite, "What?" Harry shouted, loud enough for students on the Ravenclaw table to turn around.

"It makes sense I suppose." Hermione mused, eyes wide in shock, "with Slughorn taking over potions and no other new teachers. We should have guessed."

"Ol' bat face has been gunning for that job for ages!" Ron hissed, "Is the old coot mad?" he asked referring to the headmaster.

"Ronald!" Hermione hissed.

"Ron might be right 'Mione." Avery added, "Putting a death eater as the defence teacher? That is crazy."

"Please return your attention to me!" Dumbledore called, waiting a moment for complete silence to fall, "I understand this is a change, but I assure you it is for the best." his twinkling eyes seemed to linger on the group of Ministry fighters where Avery sat a little longer than necessary as he scanned the room, prompting Avery to think that there was some message meant for them. She shook the thought away as the headmaster continued to speak, "As we all know the threat of Lord Voldemort grows larger every day and we must all do all we can to keep ourselves safe."

Avery found her eyes drifting towards the Slytherin table where Malfoy and his cronies sat smugly, obviously pleased at the thought of Snape in such a position as DADA teacher. She sighed and returned to listening to the headmaster talk. " As precaution, the castles magical fortification has been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in ways we have never been before. However, I must urge you as students to be cautious in your own safety and abide by any rules and restrictions that your teachers may impose on you, no matter how much it may irk you, just like the rule that says you cannot be out of bed after hours."

Avery smirked, knowing of at least four people who had broken that rule already this first week, herself included.

"If you see anything, suspicious of out of the ordinary within the castle or on any castle grounds then please report it to the nearest teacher immediately. As always I expect you all to conduct yourselves with the utmost regard for your own safety and for the safety of those around you, in lessons and out of lessons, this includes behaviour in classrooms. I do hear of all detentions and punishments in this place." His eyes scanned the room again, lingering on Avery, Harry and a few other students who had already broken rules or been given punishment. "Anyway, after all of that, I believe curfew is coming and your beds are waiting and I wish you all a pleasant weekend. Off you go."

The usual enormously deafening sound of benches scraping against wooden floor sounded as hundreds of students made to leave, as they joined the throng of movement, eager to return to the common room before bed Harry whispered, "Did you see Dumbledores hand?"

"No." Ron frowned, Avery shook her head no.

"Yes." said Hermione joining them, bending low against listening ears, "It was blackened it looked-"

"Dead." Harry finished, "Like a curse?"

"Or an incurable potion or disease?" Hermione added.

"I think that there's some- What?" Harry shot the question loudly to some fourth year students who were openly watching him, eyes awed, sometimes glancing to Hermione, Ron, Avery and Neville who moved behind them, all of whom had been immortalised in the prophet for months after the ministry event. The fourth years started and moved through the doors.

"It's like I'm in a bloody gold fish bowl." Harry groaned.

"They all want a glance at the chosen one." Ron said bitterly, "Bloody nosey gits. I don't envy ya mate."

"Yeah well, as far as anyone else is concerned the prophet lied." Harry murmured for only his friends to hear, "the only people that need to know are those of us that were at the ministry."

"Of course." Hermione agreed dutifully, "Look Harry I have to go over there." she pointed to where two first year Gryffindor's were arguing with a Slytherin. Avery smiled and found it strangely reassuring that even in these times the old rivalry still hung. "I'll go with you." she said to the prefect as she moved.

"Okay," Hermione said hesitantly, she moved quickly an with purpose, "Excuse me!" she called, "What's going on here?"

The first years stopped arguing immediately, and stared guiltily up at the, now, quite frankly terrifying Hermione who began to scold them accordingly.

Avery took a step back, biting back laughter at the fear on the first years faces and came into contact with a small body. She whipped around and grinned as she took in a familiar sight of black hair and big blue eyes in Hufflepuff robes. "David right? From the book shop?"

"Hi Avery." the small boy replied quietly.

"We have a habit of running into each other huh?" she grinned, "Hufflepuff yeah? Seems fitting I guess."

"Gryffindor." he pointed to Avery's own red robes, "Mum always said the heroes came from there, you're friends with Harry Potter right? You were at the ministry when You know who was there." he questioned.

Avery nodded, "Yeah."

"So she was right, heroes are from that house." he smiled.

"Well I wouldn't say that, I know some pretty brave Hufflepuffs."

"I hope I can be a hero one day." he said wistfully, "My dad is an auror you know. He catches bad guys."

"Does he now?"

"Yes. I'd like to be like him."

"I'm sure you will David," she smiled softly, "Now you'd better get to your common room, before you get into trouble, stay away from the Slytherin Gryffindor fights yeah? Take it from me, they can get dirty, hexes flying everywhere and all that. See you around David."

"Bye Avery!" he said, proudly tugging on his robes and turning towards the few remaining straggler students.

Avery blinked sadly, it was students like David, first years who would suffer the fall out of the Voldemort problem.

"Avery. You coming?" Hermione asked from behind her.

"Yeah." She smiled, "What'd you do to them?" she asked of the noticeably absent first year students.

"Detention Monday with their house heads. Should be scary enough for them." she smiled.

"Yeah, McGonnagal is terrifying! More than Snape I reckon." Hermione laughed awkwardly.

"Listen, Hermione, I really am sorry for the way I acted, it was wrong of me. Sometimes everything just builds up and I made a mistake okay. You know I love you guys."

"We love you too Avery. I just had no idea that you felt that way." She replied sadly.

"Sometimes." Avery said softly, "sometimes."

**-….-**

The weekend moved far too quickly for Avery and before she knew it she found herself half asleep at the Gryffindor table in the great hall over breakfast Monday morning. "Defence." Ron mumbled. "With Snape. Defence with Snape."

"No matter how many times you say it Ron, it wont change." Harry grumbled bitterly.

Avery sighed, trying to imagine just what they would be taught in Defence for the next two hours. Surely Snape wouldn't get away with not teaching them anything and there was no way any students would keep quiet if he tried to teach them the dark arts instead of how to defend against it. She truly had no idea.

"Hello 'Arry!" Hagrid's distinct voice boomed across the hall as he meandered his way down from the staff table where a few later rising professors sat, " 'Ermione! Ron! Avery!"

"Hi Hagrid." Harry grinned automatically.

"Everyone alrig't?" Avery winced as she nodded the affirmative, noticing a few students glaring their way, probably not only because of the loud interruption to their quiet morning but also at the fact that there was no doubt these four students were Hagrid's favourites. "So none of yer are taking my class." there was a hint of sadness in Hagrids voice that made Avery wince, guilty. The four of them had only shown so much interest in his class because they liked Hagrid, not his lesson, in fact Avery had been almost as bad at Care of magical creatures than she was at Herbology. Thankfully McGonagall hadn't decided that she had to top that up too. Probably because Avery had always suspected that Hagrid gave her higher marks than she actually deserved, especially counting the amount of times she had been bitten and that one time she had accidentally released one of Hagrids more dangerous creatures into the forest. It had taken hours for it to be caught again.

"Sorry Hagrid." Harry started, "I didn't have time to do it with all of the stuff I needed to become an auror."

"We're all very swamped Hagrid." Hermione said, "We promise we'll come and visit you and buck- uh, Witherwings. Promise"

Avery nodded in agreement, "I would have taken it Hagrid, along with Potions, Astronomy, Runes, Charms and Defence but Professor McGonagall made me retake Herbology, something about my over all grades being downed by a T." She didn't miss Hermiones disapproving glare, whether it be because of the awful grade or because she knew for a fact that Avery had no intention of taking Hagrids class. A little white lie, Avery thought, never hurt anyone in fact it seemed to be making Hagrid feel a little better, "Personally I would have taken it if I could."

"Me too." Ron said cottoning on.

"Well that's alright! I got a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws with a hand for the creatures. As long as yer come to visit me."

"Definitely." Harry breathed, relieved.

"Now, yer better get to yer classes, don't want to be late do yer?" Hagrid grinned hugely behind his beard, before he ambled his way out of the hall, his step considerably lighter, well if that was possible for a half giant such as he.

"I feel horrible." Avery sighed, "I wish we could have taken it y'know."

"You'd have probably ended up crushed by some sort of half illegal thing Hagrid found." Ron stated with a grin around a mouthful of his sixth piece of toast, "You were a bloody nuisance in that class, worse than Neville in potions!"

"Worse than you in potions." Avery snorted throwing a piece of her own toast towards Ron's flame hair, "Idiot."

"He's right though, Hagrid I mean. We really should get going. Snape wont need much of a reason to take house points from us." Hermione said, sounding put upon with a downturn to her lips.

"I don't want to." Harry whined, "It's my top subject he'll fail me on."

"Just do your best Harry. He can't down grade you if you do that!"

They grudgingly made their way from the hall and up the four flights of stairs that found them at the defence classroom, along the way a sort of gloom seemed to fall upon them, reminiscent of the dungeons Snape had once occupied. Once they had reached the door Harry's shoulders seemed like they couldn't slump any lower and even Hermione seemed to be grimacing worse than usual. All of the sixth year students that had been part of Dumbledore's army last year were present, all seemingly not looking forward to the thought of Snape teaching them this year. This year all houses were present as it was NEWT level classes so Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff and a few Ravenclaws including Luna who smiled and greeted them serenely were present. Also, much to Avery's chagrin Malfoy and a number of other Slytherins were present.

"How much homework do you think bat face will give us?" Ron mumbled just as the door opened to reveal the ever sallow face of the teacher in question.

"Inside." he said impassively, "Take your seats immediately."

The now silent group of students filed in immediately, most, Harry as the exception, avoiding eye contact with him. Avery moved behind Hermione, eyes adjusting to the dark gloom that had taken over the once bright room. Avery found herself immersed in staring at the new pictures adjourning the walls, photos of people writhing in pain, disgusting boils and abrasions covering the bodies of others, she shivered and wished that the heavy curtains drawn over the windows were open to dispel some of the darkness that had residence in the room. "Miss Greenwood." Snapes voice sounded loudly behind her, "If you would kindly take your seat like everyone else has managed." She suppressed a growl as she moved into the classroom, narrowly missing smacking her knee against the desk where Hermione had saved her a seat.

"Why does it have to be so bloody dark in here?" she whispered to Hermione as she took the seat.

"Hush Avery!"

"I did not ask you to take out your books." Snape said, beady eyes trained on Hermione whom Avery noticed from her place was the only student with everything set up and sorted. Snape moved around behind his desk as Hermione dropped her copy of _Confronting the Faceless _back into her bag hastily.

"I want your undivided attention."

_Well you have it_, Avery thought glancing around the room again.

Snape drew in a deep breathe and began, "You have had five teachers in this subject this term, not all of whom have been very… adequate. Saying this I am surprised any of you managed to scrape an OWL in this subject, considering all of these teachers would have had different methods of teaching. I will be shocked if any of you manage to keep up with the much more advanced NEWT level work."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." she heard Terry Boot say from the table next to her.

The teacher moved from his place and moved to one of the first photos on the wall, robes billowing behind him, "The dark arts" he began thoughtfully, wistfully, "are eternal. Varied, constantly changing. Unbeatable if you will. Each time you think you have conquered your enemy, they come back stronger, more advanced than ever before. You are fighting the impossible."

Avery swallowed, knowing full well of the things Snape spoke of, nervous, she had never heard such longing in the professors voice. She could see Harry's tense shoulders on the table in front of her and knew he must be thinking the same.

"Your defences must therefore be the same, every changing, flexible as that that you wish to defeat. These pictures-" he gestured to the pictures that had enthralled Avery in morbid curiosity just moments ago, "are examples of what can happen to people under the influences of the dark arts. This one for example is what happens when under the cruciatus curse." He indicated a picture of a young woman, writhing on the floor. If there had been sound Avery knew they would have heard her shrieking in agony.

"This one," he pointed to a picture of a blank looking wizard, in a heap on the floor, cold and staring into what seemed like the abyss of nowhere, "is a representation of someone who ha felt the Dementors kiss." Avery shuddered and thought she felt Hermione doing the same, remembering their own run in with Dementors in the past.

"This one is what happens to those whom have the inferius curse placed upon them," Avery closed her eyes against the picture of a bloody mass of what had once been a witch or a wizard on the ground.

"Is he using that again sir?" A girl questioned from the back, "The dark lord? Has it been seen again?"

"He has used it in the past yes. So it is safe to assume he may do so again." the professor replied coldly, unemotionally, unphased.

"Now," He said, having moved back behind his desk in the time it had taken for Avery to reopen her eyes, "I assume you are all completely unlearned in the art of non verbal spells am I correct?" He waited for no answer and instead asked another question, "What is the advantage to a non verbal spell?"

As expected Hermione's hand shot into the air, and Snape waited until he realised that no one else, not even his prized Slytherins were volunteering an answer before he let her speak. "Yes Granger?"

"You adversary has no idea what spell you'll lose and it gives you a split second advantage."

"An answer read straight from _The standard book of spells grade 6 _I've no doubt." the professor snarled, earning chuckles from Malfoy and his seat companion Theodore Nott. Avery moved her glare between professor and students as she felt Hermione sink into her chair.

"The book is correct." Snape continued, "those who manage to complete spells without saying the incantation aloud often have the element of surprise, not all wizards can do this of course." his gaze moved to the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors in the room, "It is a matter of mind control and concentration and power, which some," he concentrated only on Harry now, "severely lack."

"Now. Pair up. The person on the right will attempt to jinx the person on the left in silence and the other will attempt to block that jinx in equal silence. Is this understood? Now go."

Avery cringed as she found herself partnered with Hermione, knowing full well that the smartest witch of their year would easily be able to cast wordless magic. She was fairly confident with shield charms, she had been good at it before the DA and helping Harry, Ron and Hermione teach others had been a lot of help and practice. However, and she could see that Harry and Ron who were partnered together were thinking the same thing, they had never done so wordlessly. She could almost feel the jinx on her already and hoped that Hermione picked something nice and well, harmless.

"Go easy on me 'Mione." Avery smiled softly, pulling her wand from her robes as Snape pulled his own from his and wordlessly moved all of the tables, chairs and bags against the wall.

"Bloody show off." Ron mumbled, and Avery could almost detect awe in his voice, of course this was covered by extreme hate and disgust.

"Get to work!" Said professor shouted.

Avery moved the correct amount of space away from Hermione and braced herself, vaguely aware of Snape moving around the room, keeping vigil and arrogantly correcting his students. Avery found herself suppressing laughter, as she heard Neville mutter his jelly legs jinx under his breath and Luna repel it in much the same fashion. She found herself watching other students in the class as Hermione struggled for the first few minutes, frowning in contempt as Malfoy managed to jinx Nott within the first few minutes, earning a greatly exaggerated fifty points to Slytherin. This was who Avery found herself watching when Hermione's jinx hit her. Hard. Avery shrieked as something solid bashed into her stomach and fell to the ground with a whoosh of breath. "Ow!" she cried looking up at Hermione incredulously. She heaved in a deep breath, feeling completely winded.

"Everybody stop!" Came professor Snapes voice.

The noise began to fizzle out as all of the other students turned their unwanted attention to the direction where Avery sat on the ground.

"This is a prime example of a wordless spell gone wrong." he indicated the two girls, "I've no doubt that Greenwood here was not paying adequate attention, however, I also know that Granger did not intend to inflict such damage on her opponent."

"Of course not sir." Hermione breathed guiltily.

"Lots of damage." Avery mumbled, earning a round of laughter from the Slytherins.

"Now," Snape continued, without admonishing the laughter, "without complete concentration, the spell can go wrong, of course when facing a true enemy this is fine, but when facing a fellow student it is not. You need to completely focus on your wording, your strength of magic, everything you need to focus on when performing a spell out loud. This Affligo shot by Granger is a prime example of this." Once Snape was sure that there was enough attention on them he said, "Carry on." before gliding away.

"I'm so sorry Avery!" Hermione gushed, helping her off of the ground, "I was trying to just slap you on the arm but then I heard Harry say something to Ron and then you were on the floor. I should have concentrated better. I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine 'Mione." Avery groaned. "I'm okay. Lets keep going! Just use a less painful charm yeah?"

Hermione laughed and moved back to position the tension diffused at her comment.

It took another ten minutes before Avery was able to block Hermione's jinx, doing so with much glee.

The lesson wrapped up rather quickly after that, Ernie being the only Hufflepuff able to perform wordless magic, Neville, staring blankly at the wall, still paralyzed, Ron, red in the face and furious at his inability to complete the task and Harry looking terribly bored. "Of course you guys would be able to do it." Ron grumbled as they were dismissed from the class, "Bloody females, studying is all you ever do!"

Avery could not even muster up the energy to feel affronted, feeling exhausted with her head pounding angrily from so much over excursion that lesson. She thought that putting it at the start of a Monday was a ridiculous idea.

"I learned something." Hermione stated, "Snape actually taught me something."

"Me too." Avery added if a little begrudgingly, frowning as she felt something rubbing against her ankle and foot. "Dragon? How did you get out of the tower?" She asked, bending down stiffly, wincing at the remaining pang of pain in her stomach as she did so to pick up her cat. His new collar sitting delightfully his midnight black fur.

The cat purred happily and rubbed his head against her shoulder, "Yeah I missed you too Dragon."

"Bloody women and their bloody cats." Ron sighed, "I told you Harry!"

"Shut up Ron." Avery said, hissing as the cat in her arms wiggled slightly, a paw pressing against her tender stomach. "Ouch."

"I really am sorry Ave!" Hermione began, only to be interrupted by the pretentious voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Boy Greenwood, the mud blood really knocked you over in there! You looked so graceful."

"Ignore it guys." Avery said, doing so herself as she noticed Harry and Ron simultaneously tense up, "I've said it before, he's not worth it."

**-….-**

**So late! Must sleep! Will continue soon! =]**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	14. Seeds of a different colour

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 14- Seeds of different colours.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm re writing it to my story so the dialogue is not that same as it is in the books or films in the scenes you may recognise =]**

**Much more Draco in this chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**-….-**

"It's not fair!" Avery whined petulantly, as she lagged behind Hermione on their way down the hall from he Gryffindor common room, "Harry and Ron have so many more free periods than us." The mentioned boys were currently sitting gleefully in the common room enjoying their free time.

"That's because we have more subjects than them." Hermione explained patiently.

"But you like this lesson, I have Herbology. Why do I even have to take Herbology?" she continued to complain, dreading making her way to the greenhouses.

"Because you received a Troll in your OWLS Avery."

"Yes. So I shouldn't be taking it at NEWT level, I'm liable to kill everyone in the class!"

"That is true."

"Besides, I could really use this time to complete Snapes homework. What sort of teacher decides to give you homework after you have left the class? Thirteen inches on the benefit of non verbal spells. It's ridiculous." she glanced at Hermione who seemed completely unfazed, "I take it you've already finished." She received a nod in confirmation, "Bloody hell 'Mione, we only got it yesterday."

"It's not difficult Avery. Honestly, if you ever read your textbooks."

"I have been 'Mione, in fact both my started essay and my Defence book are in my bag. I've just run out of things to say. I've got about six inches and I think I'm finished. It's ridiculous."

"You can keep saying that Avery but keep saying it on your way to Herbology. Off you go!" Hermione laughed, turning off in the opposite direction towards her own class.

Avery sighed and began her descent to the bottom floor.

"Avery!" A breathless voice called from the hall behind her, "Avery!"

"Hi Neville!" she smiled as the boy lugged himself onto the stairs just moments before they moved, in the right direction Avery noticed despairingly, having hoped that she would have been able to take a detour and missed some of the class.

"You have Herbology right?"

"Yeah, I assume you do too." she said, feeling her lips pull into a smile at her friends obvious excitement.

"Definitely. It's the only thing I'm really good at." Avery heard no sign of self pity in his voice.

"You're good at a lot of things Nev." she said, "And even if you weren't, you're a great person and you're strong and that's all that matters."

"Thanks Ave. It's a good thing I'm good at Herbology though, it's the only thing I can find myself doing in the future, I've always had cacti and stuff at home so it's only natural."

"It's a shame you had to leave them at home this year."

"Well gran is taking care of them, they'll be fine." he said softly, "Come on, we should hurry or we'll be late."

Avery barely managed to hold back a groan as she followed behind him. It seemed that Neville noticed her reluctance because he turned back and held out his arm for her to take, "It's okay Ave, you helped me when you were my potions partner in fifth year so I have to repay you. I'll sit with you so we'll be partnered together and I'll help you."

-…-

"Ah, Mr Longbottom," Professor Sprout smiled as Neville and Avery stepped into the biggest greenhouse, "Miss Greenwood, stay there. Mr Longbottom if you would like to take a seat over by Miss Lovegood."

Avery's heart sank to her stomach as Neville opened his mouth to speak but was gestured quickly to a stool by the chubby professor. Avery let her eyes scan the room and felt herself blanch at the image of Draco Malfoy, sat regally if uncomfortably on one of the stools.

"Miss Greenwood." Professor Sprout said, with much less enthusiasm, probably remembering all of the bad, bad things that Avery had caused to happen in that class. Most of which had been with Harry who had somehow managed to scrape a passable grade in this class. Avery would never know how, "As you are here under… different circumstances, you can take a seat over there. I will be sending extra help your way throughout the classes."

Avery nodded and reluctantly moved away towards the side of the table that the professor had gestured to. She heard a loud, put upon sigh as she unceremoniously dropped into the only available seat next to, of all the horrors, Draco Malfoy, she nodded to the Hufflepuff duo opposite her who looked just as unhappy to be there as she did. She found herself praying at that moment that Professor Spout would pair the four not so good students with students like Neville and Luna who were good to even out the partners. If that were the case then she wouldn't have to partner with Malfoy, if that was not the case then there was no doubt in her mind that the two Hufflepuffs would be together, leaving her with Malfoy and that thought didn't even bare thinking about. The pointy git beside her seemed to lift his nose higher than usual as she pulled her books and supplies from her bag, her Defence book coming up with them,, she glanced to her side and noticed that Malfoy also had his book out, his homework for Snape out beside him. Maybe there would be breaks to do homework, she thought as she left her own book on the table next to his. Or, she wondered as she dropped her bag back to the floor, Malfoy just had no intention of actually performing in this class.

"Why are you here Malfoy?" she found herself asking before she had even realised she had opened her mouth.

The blond, and only Slytherin in the room hesitated and then responded coldly, "Apparently receiving a Troll grade in my OWLS is not acceptable. Your house head seems to have convinced the fool of a head master to instate a new rule based on your worst grades and insisted that I retake Herbology." He sighed again, " And the situation seems to have gotten infinitely worse with your arrival."

"The feeling is mutual Malfoy. I have to retake it too, I also got a Troll grade."

"I don't believe I asked Greenwood."

"Well I thought I would tell you anyway." Avery said, a small pout pulling at her lips, "You cant be that bad at Herbology though, I mean, you probably aced everything else."

Malfoy glanced down his nose at her, "Yes, Greenwood. I did." his voice sounded petulant as if he were simply humouring a small child. He paused and Avery crossed her arms across her chest, "A mandrake bit me in first year."

Avery's face shot towards him, shocked, "What?"

"You heard."

She bit her lip, a grin pulling at her mouth as she felt the laughter bubbling up into her throat, "It bit you?" she asked incredulously around a laugh. Once it had subsided she said, "I managed to give a small tree by Hagrids hut fangs and a hunger for flesh."

Malfoys usually expressionless face, when not occupied by a sneer in any case, suddenly looked incredulous, "Fangs?"

"I was supposed to be replenishing the leaves." Avery explained, fighting a smile at the memory of Ron running away, shrieking as if he had just seen a spider as the tree's makeshift mouth snapped at him.

"Now now. Your attention please." Professor Sprouts voice called over the small hum of chat and Malfoys attention moved from Avery to the professor, as if they hadn't been speaking almost civilly at all, "I want you all to look to the person to your right," _Malfoy. Great. _She heard Malfoy groan lowly in agreement," those people will be your partners until the end of your NEWT lessons. I will be giving extra help to those who may need it." The professor didn't bother to hide the fact that she blatantly stared at the four students to her own right hand side. Avery flinched. "You're first assignment will be to plant these seeds." she gestured to numerous small wooden boxes littering the table, "that may seem easy. However, you will soon find that these seeds do not wish to be planted."

Avery felt a thrill of apprehension, or was that fear? She didn't know.

"What does she mean?" The blonde Hufflepuff opposite asked over the table as her dark skinned partner shrugged her shoulders. Avery shook her head and Malfoy, predictably, paid none of them any heed.

With a flick of her wand Professor Sprout distributed the boxes that had seemingly, at the touch of magic began vibrating almost violently. "Each box contains seeds marked with a different colour, this way when it comes to grading, I will now which group did which work. You may begin."

Avery sat blankly as most of the groups began, this was part of the reason that she had not wanted to do Herbology at NEWT level, the students present were expected to know what these seeds were and how to handle them without being told. There was very little information given and this made Averys job that much harder, as did her partner, who was currently sighing loudly and calling her name. Her second name at least.

"Greenwood! Are you going to sit there all day?" Slightly dazed Avery moved her attention to the large plant pot that had materialized before each group and pushed her seat back, only slightly perplexed that Malfoy seemed to actually be planning on doing the work.

"Yes." she swept the DADA books to the side in a rustle of papers and hesitantly pulled the box closer to herself, "What are these?"

"I don't know Greenwood. I would hazard a guess and say seeds."

"Oh. I would never have guessed, brilliant help you are." she grumbled.

"I have much better things to be doing than sitting here with you Greenwood." Malfoy said with a degrading glance and a sneer. _And the animosity has returned from it's momentary break_, Avery thought.

"And I don't?" she shot back, "Lets just get on with this!" She pulled the lid off of the box and shrieked loudly as the dotted seeds shot from the box in a cloud of darkness.

"What did you do?" Malfoy cried, suddenly undignified as he glanced around wildly. Avery noticed that Professor Sprout barely spared them a glance, and the Hufflepuff girl opposite quickly dropped the lid back on her own box. She saw that every other group in the room were concentrating hard on their tasks and no one had noticed their problem, also no one else had opened their boxes full.

Avery cursed fluently, believing she may had adopted Ron's speech recently. She looked to Neville beseechingly and he seemed to notice because both he and Luna began to move slower, more deliberately.

"I need a seed!" Avery hissed and Malfoy handed her one he had managed to grab. As it transferred hands it began to vibrate more violently, a low humming sound emitting from it, she wrestled the seed into the dirt as it pushed back against her hand as if repelled by a magneto or whatever it was Hermione had explained to her once. She smiled triumphantly as she copied Lunas moving hand, and patted the soil she had thrown over it three times.

"There." she grinned to Malfoy, gesturing the pot, "There's one done."

"Why is the Earth moving then?" Malfoy asked from a few feet away.

"It's not- it is!" Avery stepped back level with the Slytherin as the soil in the pot began to rise slowly, "What is happening now?" The seed rose slowly and shot like a bullet out of the pot, ricocheting off of one of the lighting fixtures above them.

"Well done Greenwood. Absolutely brilliant!"

"You do better then!" she shouted, "Plant a bloody seed yourself!" She realised how ridiculous that sounded but managed to stop a smile creeping across her face.

"I can't see any seeds, you let them all out!"

"Accio one seed!" Avery said, pulling her wand from her robes.

"There." she said, catching one as it shot through the air towards her, "Do it."

It took less than five minutes for Malfoy, who had obviously come to the same conclusion as Avery had to copy another team who seemed to be doing brilliantly in comparison, to come out with the same outcome.

"I don't get it." Avery mused, "I copied Neville and Luna exactly."

"You copied Longbottom and Loony? No wonder you didn't manage it."

"Shut up Malfoy. They both received top marks in their Herbology OWLS. Better than us." she argued.

"Well as I said, you copied them, you failed."

"Do you ever shut up?" she spat moving forward after conjuring another colour dotted seed, "Just for a minute?"

"No."

Avery rolled her eyes angrily and moved to copy Neville again, move for move, patting the soil the same amount of times, she noticed, watching carefully that Neville was whispering something, he looked relaxed. An idea struck her and feeling ridiculous she whispered, "It's okay. Its okay, go in there where its warm and just- it'll be okay." the vibrating stopped almost immediately and she laughed.

"We have to talk to the seeds." Malfoy deadpanned, face expressionless. Avery noticed the two Hufflepuff failures opposite, Amanda and Lexi as she had remembered, glancing around the room too, copying a better team.

She shifted her attention back to Malfoy, "Yes. Your go."

"I'm not talking to a seed Greenwood. Malfoy's do not talk to seeds."

"Okay." she sighed painstakingly, deciding she was far too exasperated to argue, "You get the seeds and I'll plant them. You think you can do that?"

"I'm not an invalid." he said petulantly, pulling his wand from his immaculate robes.

"Could have fooled me."

For the next half of the lesson, Avery found herself managing to tentatively work alongside Malfoy, planting the seeds one by one, fingers brushing against his as they transferred the seeds from hand to hand trying hard not to drop and consequently lose them.

"Greenwood, will you take this seed?" Malfoy asked for the second time, growling impatiently.

"I'm still planting this one. Wait." she growled before whispering softly to the soil and waiting for it to stop vibrating.

"Uh, Greenwood?" Malfoy's voice sounded uncertainly, as she turned back towards him, ready to take the next seed.

"Yes?"

"What colour seed did you just plant?"

"Yellow."

"Ours are blue."

"No. Ours are yellow." Avery argued, frantically turning back to the pot and looking or the latest planting, "They've all been yellow."

"Are you sure? All of them?"

"Yes. Malfoy, I'm sure." _At least I think so_, she thought. "If I'm wrong then it's your fault for not checking."

She heard Malfoy grumbling something unintelligible under his breath as she snatched the next seed from his hand but before she could plant anything Professor Sprouts voice sounded, "Stop. Every one stop. Time is up." The class slowly wound down and Avery let go of her seed, ignoring it as it buzzed around the room, noticing that the other teams looked considerably less haggard than herself and dare she say it Malfoy. It almost made her smile to see Malfoy looking less put together than he usually did.

"Now, water your seeds and see the outcome."

Avery moved to grab the watering can, a distinctly muggle invention, Hermione had once told her, that Professor Sprout insisted her students use and poured water over the now thankfully still soil. She stepped back from the soil and watched in awe as the seeds began to grow immediately, even in the wizarding world plants didn't often grow this fast. Beautiful blue and yellow mixes began to sprout from the pot, entwining and growing together. "I told you they were yellow." Avery said, pointing to the pot, the majority of the flowers yellow.

"But there are blue." Malfoy argued, "It doesn't matter anyway- there's nothing wrong with-" He stopped mid sentence as the plants began to move erratically, the colours that were once entwined suddenly repelling each other, sparking gently.

"Uh Professor Sprout?" Avery called, "I think we did something wrong here."

"She mixed the coloured seeds."

"_We_ mixed the seeds Malfoy." Avery shot back angrily.

"Stop arguing and watch." The stocky professor snapped, "You might actually learn something that will help you pass."

Avery turned her attention from the infuriating boy to the pot, that was now shaking violently, having garnered the attention from the entire class. "This is what happens if you mix two volatile and different seeds." Professor Sprout announced loudly.

The plants began moving faster, as if they were circling each other, readying for a stand off and to Avery's and seemingly every one else's amazement they did begin to fight, violently and angrily, the losing flower immediately turning to an ash like substance when 'killed' by the other. After a few minutes the blue flower had fully won out and with what sounded like a sigh of relief began to settle comfortably into the sopping soil. Having grown up in the wizarding world Avery was happy that she could still be surprised by some things and a quick glance at the Slytherin ice prince told her that he was rather surprised too.

"Now before you all leave I want to give you your homework." The only groans received in response came from the four unwanted students, "I want a page on why this happened, on why certain plants are more territorial than others. How they win the fights and why they must fight like they did." She paused, before vanishing all of the work in the room, "You are dismissed."

"Thank Merlin." Avery grumbled, moving to grab all of her belongings.

"Glad that's over." Lexi, the darker Hufflepuff said conversationally, "Shame yours did all that though, now we've got homework."

"Sorry." Avery said as Malfoy snorted.

Avery rolled her eyes and grabbed the nearest DADA book and shoved it into her bag. She took one more glance at the table to check she hadn't forgotten anything and fled the room without another word to anyone. Thankful that it was over for a week. She needed to find Hermione and vent. A lot.

**-….-**

**So late! Must sleep! Will continue soon! =]**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	15. Herbology for dummies

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 15- Herbology for dummies.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm re writing it to my story so the dialogue is not that same as it is in the books or films in the scenes you may recognise =]**

**So I watched the new Harry Potter tonight and just had to start writing again. It was freaking awesome!**

**Draco in this chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**-….-**

It was two days after the Herbology incident, as Avery had now taken to calling it, that she realised she did not currently have ownership of her own DADA book. Somewhere along the line between receiving the homework essay and this day she had mistaken someone else's book for her own and swapped them. What was worse, she had no idea whose book she did posses, the essay inside was written neatly, almost regally, compact and thin and contained almost a lazy intelligence that she couldn't quite pinpoint. None of her friends recognised the handwriting either and of course there was no name, in the book or on the homework. Avery was reassured that her own name was splashed across her book and essay so surely if one of her classmates found it they would return it, even a spiteful Slytherin would want their own book back, especially if risking Snape's wrath. Sure, Avery had much more work to be getting on with during the first of the new study lessons in Hogwarts library, that McGonagall had brought forward for this year but she would have much preferred to complete her essay. She could only hope that if she didn't have her half finished homework back by the due date then Snape would understand. Fat chance of that she thought.

"Avery! Are you even listening to me?" Hermione hissed as Avery continued to absently run her finger along the face of the DADA book before her.

"Yeah," she sighed, "I know I have to do my Herbology. I'll get onto it."

"Like Ronald gets on with his work? Do it now Avery." Hermione replied, sounding angry.

"Okay!" Avery replied, "Our defence work has a closer due date though."

"You don't have your work Avery. There's no point sitting here and fretting over it when you could be doing something else."

"Yeah you're right." Avery sighed, "I need to take out a book on Herbology then."

"Go ahead." Hermione said, her tone that of a teacher talking to a first year, Avery rolled her eyes and glanced around the library, numerous students from her year were settled around, some working on various pieces of homework, others were charming various pieces of paper to fire at their friends, some were simply throwing or spitting them manually. Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zambini and a group of Slytherins were laughing raucously in a corner earning harsh glances from both the librarian and Hermione. Neville Longbottom sat opposite Luna, slumped over in his seat, drool pooling in the corner of his mouth as he snored quietly. Avery smiled fondly at her friend and glanced towards a large window, she could almost make out the forms of the Gryffindor Quidditch team practicing. She found herself wishing she was more than a competent flyer so she could be out in the sun rather than cooped up inside on such a glorious day. Cho Chang and a group of her friends sat in the corner, giggling at some kind of crude drawing on some parchment. Avery sort of wished she were sat with them instead of the bushy haired slave driver who was once again calling her name irritably.

"Sorry?"

"You're procrastinating again. Go and get your book."

"Yes mother." Avery said with a salute as she pushed back her chair and stretched languidly, "Luna!" she called across the room, "Where are the Herbology books?"

"That way, Avery." Luna called dreamily, pointing to the left of her seat, "Watch out for the dust mites, they've very sharp teeth you know."

"Brilliant. Thanks Luna." Avery answered as she moved behind her into the rows of shelves, in search of the Herbology section.

"H- H-a- H-e. Herbs, Herbology: forbidden plants. Forbidden plants? Herbology: the secrets of growing. Herbology for dummies?" Avery frowned and turned the dusty tome over in her hands, "The complete easy step guide to Herbology for even the most unfocused of minds." she read aloud from the back, "Well that sounds like fun."

"Talking to yourself Greenwood?" A cool voice startled her from her reverie, Avery squeaked and jolted in her spot, whirling to face him angrily.

"Stalking people in dark libraries now Malfoy?" she growled.

"Simply returning this." the blonde replied with a smirk, nodding his head towards his hand in which he held a familiar footprint marred defence book, "and telling you to return mine."

"It's yours? I must have taken the wrong book from Herbology." Avery didn't miss the fact that Herbology seemed to be ruling her entire life recently, nor did she miss Malfoys sarcastic reply of "Evidently."

"I'll go and get it." Avery said, "You wait here."

"Like I would accompany you anyway." he snorted behind her.

Avery squashed down the almost overwhelming urge to punch the pig headed Slytherin and instead moved towards the table where it seemed Hermione hadn't even moved an inch and grabbed the book from the table. Hermione raised her head from her book and questioned, "Did you find who the book belonged to?"

"Yup."

"Who?"

Avery quickly debated whether or not to tell the truth, eventually opting to do so, "Malfoy."

Hermione's face seemed to drain of colour, "Need me to come with you?" the brunette asked hesitantly.

"I've got it." Avery smiled reassuringly, as she moved back towards the alcove where Malfoy lurked like the damn snake he was, shoulders tense.

"Here." she said abruptly, holding the book out towards him, mouth set in a straight line, "Can I have mine?"

"I hope you haven't copied my essay Gryffindor, Professor Snape will notice." Malfoy commented as the books exchanged hands.

"I've got my own thank you Malfoy." came Avery's reply, "I don't need yours. I am rather good at Defence."

"Of course. You're a Gryffindor."

"You're a Slytherin, the dark arts must be your forte, so defence of them but be easy."

"Of course it is." Malfoy smirked.

Avery rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

"By the way-" the blonde started.

"Save it Malfoy" Avery interrupted, raising a hand before his face, "I've spent too much time with you already today."

"Don't you want this book?" he asked, waving the large tome in the air, "Herbology for dummies?" A small frown puckered onto his forehead, "What a strangely muggle saying."

"How would you- forget it. No. You keep it." Avery sighed, turning away, feeling a soft pounding begin at her temples, a headache forming. "You probably need it just as much as I do." _Not that I care_, she thought, _I just want you out of my hair._

She moved around the bookshelves, clutching her book to her, at the same time Harry, Ron, Ginny and a couple other Gryffindor Quidditch team members bustled in loudly, immediately earning hissed reprimands from the librarian.

"Ave!" Ron called with a wave.

"How'd practice go Ron?" she asked, moving into step beside the ginger, nodding at Harry who was talking, a little uncomfortably with McCormack, the substitute keeper and sometimes beater.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, "Much better than homework that's for sure. You get your defence book back?"

"Right here." she smiled, dropping back into her seat as the group reached Hermione's table, talking tactics about the first game they were to play that term. Avery had no idea what they were talking about. She was a fairly good flyer, adept and she moved well and fast when the situation called for it but she had never had a head for sports of any kind. That, and Quidditch was violent, the games usually ended with more injuries than points scored, especially if between the Gryffindor house and Slytherin.

"Do you have any idea what they're talking about?" Hermione asked, slipping into the seat next to Avery and dropping her books with a thud. Avery looked towards her friend questioningly, in response Hermione just nodded towards her previous seat and Avery noticed McCormack, who was no longer talking to Harry and had slipped into the seat next to Hermione's previous. He was currently grinning widely at her across the table, seemingly completely unfazed by the smart girls obvious rejection. Avery felt herself shudder in sympathy for Hermione's plight. By the time conversation had died down it was time to head for lunch and Avery had gotten no further with any of her work than was intended for these study sessions.

"Oh great!" Ron chirped, "Dinner!"

"Pig." Ginny snorted loudly as she passed, Harry and Hermione in tow.

Avery laughed and followed her friends from the library, books held tightly in her arms, resolutely ignoring the group of Slytherin students, now joined by a thoughtful looking Malfoy, as they tried to push through the door first.

It took a few minutes to reach the great hall, thankful that they had managed to climb onto a staircase just seconds before it moved in the opposite direction.

"This is heavenly." Ron said, "I don't think I say it enough, truly brilliant this food."

"Heavenly? That's a big word Ronald." Hermione spoke, astonished.

"It's been known to happen." Ron smiled, red cheeks darker than usual.

"Hi Ron." Lavender Brown said sweetly, as the group moved past her seat, drawing the red heads attention away from Hermione.

"Oh, hi Lavender." he replied awkwardly with a small wave.

"That girls so weird." Ginny whispered into Avery's ear as they found an empty space on the Gryffindor table and Ron immediately began to inhale his food eagerly.

Avery had known the guy so longer that she no longer found the pure animalism disgusting enough to frown at and moved to pick her own food.

"Is it mail today?" Harry asked.

"Nah, Ah don't fink so!" Ron spat around a mouthful of food, "Why?"

"Because there is an owl coming this way." Harry said slowly, "with a parcel."

"Huh." Ron said noncommittally, focussed instead on his food helpings. Avery shrugged as the fairly nondescript grey owl swooped past them, a large square object tied to its small feet. It was moments later that the same owl landed before her, the package thudding hard onto the table.

"Who is sending you mail?" Seamus asked loudly across the table, "Its not even the mail day?"

"I don't know." Avery shrugged again as she moved to untie the package from the owl, her second name scrawled neatly across the folded piece of parchment attached to what she could now see was a book. She picked a small piece of bread from her plate and fed it to the owl as she sent it off with a "Thank you."

"Whose owl is that?" Someone asked.

"It's a Hogwarts owl." Someone else answered.

"Well? What is it?" Ron cried.

"It's clearly a book Ronald."

Avery didn't know many people who would risk sending an owl out of the allotted mail time and even those she could think of would not sign there name, she glanced towards the teachers table surreptitiously, McGonagall had noticed the commotion but had made no move towards them. After all, the owl was gone, no way to trace the sender and compared to some of the detention worthy things that happened in this school, usually courtesy of the Weasley twins and their products, sending an owl was not that big of a deal. She pulled the parchment off of the book and unfolded it gently. Neat, elegant, familiar writing sat directly in the middle, it read : _Contrary to what you might believe, _I_ do not need this. Also, concerning your, not so terrible Defence against the dark arts essay, Unforgivable curses _cannot _be performed wordlessly, these are the only curses for which this is true._

The note was brief and slightly patronizing. Avery frowned and folded the parchment again. "Whose it from?" Harry asked.

"Doesn't say. Just says that I might need this for Herbology." Avery lied, knowing exactly who had sent the book. She glanced towards the Sltherin table where Malfoy sat in deep conversation with Crabbe and then towards the offending book: Herbology for dummies.

Avery smiled.

**So the word Herbology appeared in this chapter 14 times! 15 if you count the chapter title, 16 if you count this sentence. It's a cool word.**

**-….-**

**A/N I genuinely don't have any idea if an unforgivable cannot be done wordlessly. In this fic they cant be. Also don't really know how this turned out but its 5.30 am and I have to get ready for college on no sleep so I hope this is good!**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	16. Troubled

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 16- Troubled.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm re writing it to my story so the dialogue is not that same as it is in the books or films in the scenes you may recognise =]**

**I saw the Woman in black trailer in the cinema today when I went to see the incredible, Inbetweeners movie, and the sight of Daniel Radcliffe in something other than Harry Potter made me first, sad, because Potter is over and secondly made me feel the need to update, so thank you Woman in black movie!**

**Also.. On a side note that you might be interested in- I mention colin creevey in this chapter- I know Hugh Mitchell who plays him- he lives in Southampton like me and hangs in the same places. Also Ive heard of some of his sexual excursions. Yeah.. couldn't look at creevey the same after that! Aha… On with the chapter!**

**Draco in this chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**I WROTE THIS WEEKS AGO BUT HAD NO INTERNET DUE TO A BROADBAND CHANGE SO COULDN'T UPLOAD ANYWHERE =[ SORRY.**

**Still don't at home but do at my mums boyfriends so thought id upload quicck! Hope you enjoy!**

**-….-**

_Most curses are able to be performed wordlessly, however, the same cannot be said for Unforgivable curses…_

_It is magic etiquette that unforgivable curses…_

Avery grinned as Snape's voice continued to drawl out information she already knew, she was incredibly happy that she had in fact changed her essay as to Malfoys information. If she hadn't, and the more rational side of her brain that had told her the Slytherin was playing a cruel joke and deliberately sabotaging her homework had won out, she would have left her answers the same and subsequently been wrong.

Luckily, the more irrational side of her brain had told her to take a chance even when she was unable to find any information to back it up. _Hooray for being irrational!_

She had of course wondered why she could find no information to back anything up but then again what information there was, not in the restricted section of the library, was rather limited as it was.

"Your essay wasn't terribly awful Greenwood." Professor Snapes voice broke through her thoughts, "I take it your last paragraph was a guess?"

"No sir," she replied at once, thinking up a lie, knowing the professor was silently accusing her of cheating or copying, especially if his raised eyebrow and glare were anything to go by, "It was brought up in a conversation, last year sometime I think. I just remembered."

"Hn." he scoffed and moved onto Hermione, grumbling something derogatory as was usual and Avery breathed a sigh of relief, glancing down at the almost top grade on the corner of her paper. Even that seemed to have been written reluctantly.

"Well done Avery," Hermione said happily, "I'm glad you found your essay on time."

"Me too, what did you get?" Avery asked, glancing at Hermione's top score, "Of course you did."

"You did well too." her tone a little strained.

"You say that as if it never happens 'Mione!"

"A number of your essays," Snape began, "Were frankly terrible," his beady eyes focused on Harry and Ron, "others were more acceptable," this time his eyes landed on Malfoy and Zambini, the former of which smirked widely, "I now have a grasp on your abilities, talents and levels, so we can truly begin with this module. As I may have mentioned before, some, if not most of you will not pass. I will not make acception to you simply because of your teacher problems over the last few years. Someone who is naturally good at this subject should excel despite any previous issues. Am I clear?"

"Yes." Avery mumbled along with the class, then, "We get it, we'll all fail unless we're Sytherin."

"Something to say?" Avery tensed, "Potter?" and calmed, Harry had obviously grumbled about something too, the boy had never known when someone was in close enough proximity to hear when he complained. Avery sometimes thought it might have been the glasses and his lack of depth perception.

"No sir," the saviour grumbled, avoiding eye contact with both the professor and Hermione who had turned around to glare at him.

"We will continue with the dark arts, and as per the title of this subject, the defence of them. Today's focus- the Imperious curse. An unforgivable. What is the use of the imperious?" Snape asked.

Avery raised her hand, only slightly slower than Hermione, knowing the answer to this one. "Greenwood?"

"The Imperious curse gives the caster the ability to control the victim." she answered.

"What else?" the bat like professor asked.

"Uh, well," she thought back to Alistair Moody's class years ago, well Barty Crouch Jnr's lessons, "It's not like the other unforgivable curses, if performed right, the victim is put into, like a trance," Avery had no doubt that Hermione could have worded this better, "and they'll do anything without really knowing they are doing it, anything from dancing to crimes to suicide."

"What else?" Snape asked again as Avery held back the need to glare at him, she should have realised that it wouldn't have been so simple to just answer one question.

"The curse can also give you talents you wouldn't normally posses," she thought back to the image of Neville performing magnificent cartwheels and spins, "so that you can carry out the order given. Like if you were ordered to kill someone, you would immediately know the correct curses."

"Who created the Imperious curse?" he asked her, smirking vindictively.

"I- I," Avery swallowed, she never had been one for history of magic, "Someone in the middle ages?"

"Good guess. Why?"

"For-" she glanced around the room for inspiration, most people avoided her eyes, apart from those few who knew the answer and felt the need to tell her so with their smug expressions, her eyes finally landed on a shock of blonde hair and a pair of hands that were moving, one hand wrapped around the opposite wrist, this was then repeated with the other. The wrists pushed together- miming something like- chains? Shackles?

"Slavery!" she blurted, realizing the answer, "It was created to brainwash people into slavery."

"And what happens if the curse is performed incorrectly?" the professor asked.

"I-" Avery flailed for an answer again to no avail, "I don't know."

"Of course you don't." Snape snapped, "Very few do."

Avery blinked and ground her teeth together, she hadn't exactly expected a barrage of house points but a nod of well done wouldn't have gone amiss. But then again this was Snape, Slytherin and possibly evil to the bone.

"Very few," the professors voice rose, probably trying to set some tension amongst the students, "save for those more experienced wizards, know the effect of an ill performed imperious, quite simply, madness, or perhaps death in more extreme cases. Some would say that death is in fact preferable. Those under a badly spelled curse will become disconnected, crazy, warranting long, if not lifetime stays in St Mungos."

Silence resumed in the class, save for an audible gulp from Ron's direction, "Needless to say we will not be practising the curse on each other." If not for Snapes stoic expression and monotone voice Avery might have almost believed that their professor was making a joke, "Can the Imperious curse be resisted?"

Blaise Zabini raised his hand, and answered as the professor pointed to him, "Some can resist the curse, with practice. Some take years, others with immense power can resist it after just a few tries."

Avery found herself, and apparently so did Hermione, glance surreptitiously towards Harry, not everyone knew of Harry's ability to resist the Imperious curse, it was information that was best kept secret in case said ability could one day come in handy.

"Correct." Snape agreed, "Now, as per Ministry rules we cannot learn to resist the curse as it cannot be performed in school." Avery detected more disdain than usual in his voice, "It does not hurt however to be aware of how to do this."

**….**

Avery practically fell though the door into the hallway an hour and a half later when Defence finally ended and even Hermione looked relieved to be free as she followed closely behind. "Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed, sucking in fresh air, "That man could talk forever!"

"My head is pounding." A Ravenclaw grumbled to her friend as they passed the group, both not so subtly glancing in Harry's direction eyes moving around the gathered 'ministry students' as they were now being labelled.

"I'm sad we didn't get to do any practical work." Hermione said, running her fingers though knotted hair as best she could, "I learned a lot though."

"I cant remember any of it." Ron grumbled, shouldering his bag properly and heading towards the stairs, "and I'm going outside, you guys coming?"

"Yeah. Free period." Avery said.

"What do you mean you cant remember Ronald?" Hermione snapped, "You might need to know that one day!"

"Well he said so much my brain turned to mush, I don't know which way is left and right anymore." Ron argued, as they moved closer to the blessed doors that led to the cool outside.

"What if you need to resist the curse yourself one day?" Hermione asked, shouldering her way through Harry and Avery to catch up with the ginger, "What would you do then?"

"Well Harry could teach us couldn't he?" Ron said, glancing over his shoulder to his be speckled friend, "I mean, if we still had Dumbledore's you know what."

"Well we don't!" Hermione said, as she and Ron pushed open the doors, Avery and Harry following closely behind. Avery grinned as the sun fell upon her face and basked in it. "And its not fair on Harry, especially when we have our exams!"

"I was just saying."

"How long will this one go on for do you think?" Avery whispered to Harry, "two days?"

"I think until about dinner. You okay? Snape went down quite hard on you in lesson today with all of those questions." Harry asked.

"Headache," Avery said, "But I'm okay. I'll never answer a question in that class again but I am okay!"

Harry laughed as they neared the lake, Ron and Hermione still bickering ahead, the squid splashing languidly, also enjoying the sunshine.

"How did you know about the slavery thing?" Harry questioned, "You were worse than me in History of magic." He pulled off his robes and dropped them on the floor as he dropped down himself, sighing as his muscles relaxed. Avery smiled and joined him, "I don't know really." she replied, "Good guess."

"Today is a good day." Harry laughed as the squid splashed loudly, spraying water over Hermione and Ron whose argument abruptly ended in the spray.

A loud bark of laugher erupted from Avery's throat even as the two friends shot a glare their way, "That was brilliant! Where's that Creevey kid when you need him?"

"Off taking pictures of someone else probably." Harry grinned.

**….**

It was late that night when Avery pulled her robes closer around her body and stared out over Hogwarts grounds from the Astronomy tower, lessons had finished hours before and she simply couldn't find herself to be tired so almost without thought she had returned to the tower.

She always found the grounds beautiful at night, shadowed, dark, but still beautiful and quiet. She could vaguely see the dark lump of the squid sleeping soundly in the lake and a small smile flickered across her face at the memory of Hermione and Ron soaking wet, jerkily drying their clothes with equally wet wands. Harry was right, they had began talking again over dinner.

She heard a small shuffle behind her but before she had the chance to turn a waft of vanilla invaded her nose and she knew immediately who her visitor was, she didn't question why she didn't move to defend herself, this time Malfoy didn't seem threatening.

"Why are you here, _again_, Malfoy?" she asked instead.

"Again," Malfoy mocked, "I could ask you the same."

Avery sighed, "Hogwarts is peaceful at night and this place just epitomises it."

"It is rather peaceful up here, yes." Malfoy agreed, moving to lean on the rail beside her, he also remained in his robes and uniform, hair still groomed immaculately, not a strand out of place.

"So why are you up here?" Avery asked.

"Same reason." he replied elusively and Avery immediately knew that he was lying.

"You're a prefect Malfoy, aren't you kind of breaking your own rules?"

"They're not my rules." he answered, "I simply enforce them."

"Is that why you're here, to give me detention for being out past curfew?" Avery asked, knowing she was probably tempting fate, this was the second time Malfoy had seen her here after curfew, after all.

"No." came the simple reply as the blonde continued to stare out at the grounds, Avery noted with some disdain that he looked almost serene, relaxed.

Resigned to getting no answer to her question she turned back to the grounds too and they stood in silence for few seconds. Those seconds however, seemed like hours, and she felt awkward. Avery cleared her throat, debating whether or not to leave, on one hand this place had been her sanctuary, where she came to think for years, on the other it seemed that Malfoy too had discovered how relaxed, safe this place could make you feel and taken up root.

She didn't know which was worse, having nowhere quiet to think or having to think with Malfoy in such close proximity.

Leave? Stay?

"Snape thought I cheated on my essay." Make conversation? Check, "Because I knew that unforgivable curses couldn't be performed wordlessly."

"You did didn't you? Technically." came the Slytherin's reply.

"Well, no, you divulged the information willingly." Avery frowned, "Why did you help me by the way? You could have just left me to flail in there."

"As much as I would have loved to see you .. flail as you put it, I would much rather learn something when in class." He replied smoothly.

"You actually want to learn defence?" Avery asked with an incredulous snort, "Really?"

"Yes, really." Came accompanied with a roll of the eyes and unless Avery's eyes were mistaking her an almost smile. She found herself smiling fully and turned back to the grounds that her eyes had abandoned in favour of Mafoys profile.

She chuckled to herself, and said, "I'm starting to wonder Malfoy, if maybe you're not as bad as you seem."

From her peripheral vision she saw her companions face tighten, pale more if that were possible. The conversation had been jokey, light, his tone of voice to match, but now his jaw hardened and his voice sounded grave, "Trust me Greenwood." he pushed away from the railings and in a swish of robes that would make Snape proud moved towards the exit, hand on the doorframe he continued, "I'm worse than you know."

Then Avery was left to stare out at the grounds alone, only she didn't feel so peaceful, she felt troubled, strangely enough troubled for Malfoy.

"Just one night of peace." she grumbled, laying her head on her arms.

**-….-**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	17. Avery's judgement

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 17- Avery's judgement.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm re writing it to my story so the dialogue is not that same as it is in the books or films in the scenes you may recognise =]**

**-….-**

"Oh Avery, please stop your sulking!" Hermione snapped, "You've been groaning all morning."

"Yeah Ave, you're bringing the rest of us down." Seamus added from his seat by the common room fire.

"Gee guys, I truly am sorry that you all get to go play in the snow in Hogsmeade and I have to stay in the library, working on my least favourite subject with Draco Malfoy." Avery snapped, "Of course you'll all have a terrible day and I'll have a brilliant time."

"No need to be sarcastic Avery." Hermione replied with a roll of the eyes.

"No need to be sarcastic Avery." Avery copied in a high pitched impression of her friend as she stuffed some more parchment into her bag, ignoring another roll of the bushy haired girls eyes.

"Avery," Neville's voice piped up tentatively, "I really don't mind staying and helping you. I'm sure I can handle Malfoy for while."

"Thank you for the offer, Neville," Avery replied, "But as much as that would help me I can't let you miss your trip. You've already planned so much with Luna, I'll be fine. I'm just a little cranky."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Avery lied with a tight smile, "and I have to go." She yanked up her things sending a withering glance to Hermione, "See Mione, Neville is nice."

"Goodbye Avery." was her only response.

The red head poked out her tongue childishly and shot a "have a good time." to Harry and Ron who found the whole spectacle highly amusing, "push Hermione in the snow for me."

"Will do." Ron cried as she closed the common room door behind her.

Avery moved slowly towards the library, only partially because of her cold stiffened muscles in the icy air, really she just wanted to prolong the inevitable- hours alone with Draco Malfoy to work on a Herbology project. There was no doubt in Averys mind that if she was angry at missing the Hogsmeade trip then the Slytherin would be absolutely livid. He'd more than likely curse her the moment she stepped foot inside the library as if this was all somehow her fault.

She breathed deeply, gulping in the crisp air before she stepped inside, knowing that for the next few hours all she would be able to smell would be the dusty, damp smell of hundreds of old, more than likely alive books.

"Greenwood." A voice sounded behind her, "Do you plan on going inside or would you rather do the project out here on the floor?"

"Just preparing myself for a few hours of torture Malfoy." she recovered quickly.

"Believe me Greenwood," the blonde grumbled pushing past her and through the library door, "It's much worse for me."

…

A few hours later she threw her quill onto the table with a loud groan, earning herself a shrill glance from the gnarled librarian and an equally hard glare from Malfoy as her quill splattered some ink onto the corner of their barely started project. "I give up." she sighed, "I don't see how we're supposed to concentrate on our exams if we have so much work on a subject we can actually do."

The Slytherin merely continued to read the Herbology textbook, she looked him over with a frown, "Why are you doing this Malfoy?"

The blonde mumbled something, "Buying time?" Avery questioned, "For what?"

"What?" Malfoy replied, "Shut up Greenwood."

Avery stared at him incredulously, "Why do you wear that?" she asked, noting his all black ensemble which was definitely not school uniform.

"Why not?" came the reply.

"Its not uniform." Avery stated.

"Quite brilliant observational skills you have there, Red."

"Red?"

"Your hair. Look," Malfoy started angrily, "Are we done here?"

"Judging by the lack of project I would say no. What's up with you, you haven't stopped fidgeting since you got here." Avery stated, realising the truth behind her words only as she spoke them, Malfoy had been acting stranger than usual, shifting on his chair, almost nervous, as if he were waiting for something.

"Spending all this time in such close proximity to a Gryffindor, makes me agitated. I can almost smell the reckless bravery permeating from your skin."

"Your insults are really weak today, Malfoy." Avery said with a sigh picking her quill back up and returning her eyes to the open text book before her.

She raked her eyes down the list of roots, written in tiny, almost unreadable scrawl, barely taking in any of the words before her, the writing blurring slightly. She pinched the bridge of her nose with thumb and forefinger and squinted against the words before her, blinking slowly as they began to swim in the blur of her vision.

"Nope." She said again, "I am done. I cant do this right now." Avery scraped back her chair as silently as possible and moved towards the library window and the welcoming light beyond it reflecting from the beautiful snow blanketing the grounds of Hogwarts that just beckoned her to go outside.

"What in the name of Merlin?" she asked as she spotted Hagrid walking briskly up the path towards the school, a limp female body in his arms, followed closely by who else but Avery's three best friends.

"What is it?" Malfoy asked curiously, eyes glinting as he moved towards the window.

"I don't know. I have to go." Avery replied, moving quickly towards the table and unceremoniously shoving her things into her bag.

As she practically ran from the library she missed the look of disappointment that Malfoy shot towards Hagrids figure and the look of anger that followed in Harry Potters direction.

Avery caught up to her trio of friends and the half giant in the main hall way at the same time a number of nurses came to remove the body from Hagrids arms, Avery recognised the girl, Katie something from their year.

"What happened?" Avery asked.

"Oh Ave, it was awful." Hermione responded, "It was the necklace, it was cursed it had to have been." Harry lifted a necklace time object wrapped in brown paper to show Avery.

"Who would want to curse her?" Avery asked, but before she could receive a response Professor McGonagall beckoned them sternly into her office, along with a distraught looking brunette that Avery hadn't noticed until now but guessed to be the Katie girls friend.

Once they were all situated in their head of houses office, Avery and her friends stood separately from the girl the professor began to question them.

"You're sure," she asked the girl, "that Katie didn't have the necklace in her possession before she entered the three broomsticks?"

"I already said," the girl replied, anxious to see her friend, "She went up to one of the rooms, she said she was going to the loo but I saw her and she came down with the package and said it was important she delivered it. She wouldn't answer any of my questions she just kept walking."

"Did she say to whom she would deliver it to?"

"Professor Dumbledore." The girl replied and Avery found that she was not at all surprised by this news, Dumbledore was a powerful, respected wizard, the only wizard in fact that Voldemort himself feared. It only made sense that there would be attempts on his life, but a student? An upstanding student like Katie? No, she obviously received the package from someone and was forced to deliver it. Cursed herself maybe.

"And you four." This snapped Avery from her thoughts and she realised the girl, whose name she still hadn't caught was gone and McGonagall had her attention turned towards them. "Why is it when something happens it is always you?"

If the situation weren't so dire Avery would have laughed, she often asked herself the same question. Hermione fidgeted beside her and Ron grimaced. Only Harry met her eyes. Before she could acquire a response her eyes moved to the doorway behind them, all four Gryffindors tensed as she sighed, "Oh Severus."

Avery turned to see the bat like man striding grimly into the room, wand already pointed towards the cursed necklace which promptly rose from it case, "What do you think?"

"I think Miss Bell," Snape drawled, "Is lucky to be alive."

Harry, as expected immediately jumped to the girls defence, mentioning how gentle she was and how he knew her from Quidditch and off the pitch she would never hurt anybody. Avery remembered that she knew her from watching the games, though they never really spoke despite being in the same classes a lot of the time. Katie was a quiet girl and she found herself agreeing with Harry with a nod of the head as Hermione and McGonagall were also doing. Katie did not plan to deliver the necklace to Dumbledore as her own choice.

"She was cursed." McGonagall stated in agreement.

Avery started as she heard the words, "It was Malfoy." slip from Harrys mouth.

Both professors rounded on the be speckled boy, demanding evidence to which poor, reckless Harry could only respond with, "I just know."

"You just know?" Snape asked, "Your abilities astound me Potter, how gratifying it must be to be the chosen one, to have abilities that mere mortals could only dream of. However," his eyes slid towards Avery, "these abilities should also tell you that Mr Malfoy spent all day with your friend here. Didn't he Miss Greenwood?"

Avery swallowed, nodded, felt like she was betraying Harry somehow.

"I suggest you return to your dormitories, all of you. Speak nothing of this."

"Yes Professor." Hermione said, grabbing tightly to Harrys arm. Avery and Ron followed close behind until thy were out of earshot when Hermione rounded on the dark haired boy, "Harry, you cant just go around blaming people like that!"

"I know it was him Mione!" Harry replied, "I just know it."

"He was with Avery all day!"

"He was acting rather strange." Avery added, "But yes, I was with him all day there was no way he could have gotten that package to Katie."

"Then it was already there, or he did it some other way. But he did do it." Harry argued, "I'll prove it somehow."

Avery sighed as Harry marched ahead, Hermione and Ron following close behind.

She breathed deeply and glanced around wondering who was out for Dumbledores life, perhaps it was Malfoy, he had been acting strange after all.

…

By the time dinner came, Harry was still fuming, stabbing angrily at his food and his anger only increased as mail arrived with the newest issue of the Daily Prophet depicting more muggle attacks by the death eaters. A long, rectangular envelope landed before Avery and as Harry ranted to Ron, pointing angrily to the paper she ripped the seal open to find her own quill inside with a neatly written letter.

_Red, _

_I borrowed this today as I forgot my own._

_I don't particularly want to be seen interacting with you in public more than needs be so I mailed it to you instead._

_Possibly it will break when dropped by the owl, an added perk I think._

_P.S, If you don't find out the name of that root by next Herbology lesson I will personally hex you to next Wednesday. Fair warning._

Avery found herself grinning at the unsigned letter obviously from Draco Malfoy, who sat between his friends, eating slowly but did not look up towards her. She shook her head and folded the letter into her robe pocket. Draco Malfoy was indeed a strange one and she found herself wondering over the nickname, Red, fitting she supposed what with her hair and she had often been told she had a fiery personality but surely only friends gave nicknames? Unless it was meant as an insult? She didn't know. She fed the owl a treat and pulled some parchment from her bag under the table and using the exact quill she had been mailed, she wrote,

_The quill is fine._

_I'm using it now. It's working rather brilliantly actually._

_P.S I don't see why you can't get the name of the root yourself, it would probably take less time than it would to keep bugging me about it, I'm sure you can manage to spare some brain power, however minute that might be. We're partners remember, however reluctantly._

_P.P.S You're a jerk. _

_P.P.P.S Jerk is a muggle word, Hermione said it means something bad. So there._

She rolled up the parchment and tied it to the owls leg after she fed it another treat, it took off with a hoot leaving a pale grey downy feather on the tale before her, circling the room before landing before Malfoy who quickly removed the parchment. He reluctantly fed the greedy owl before his grey eyes scanned the letter quickly, a small smirk growing on his face. The parchment in Malfoys hand found its way to the pocket of his trousers. Grey eyes met hers in a hard stare and she found herself twisting the quill between her fingers and almost hoping that Harry was wrong about the culprit of the curse. Because either Avery's judgement was way off the mark or Draco Malfoy wasn't so bad after all.

…

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	18. The wrong enchantment

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 18- The wrong enchantment**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**THIS CHAPTER IS dedicated to Saskia.. Aka- thislookslikeajobforme. A constantly brilliant reviewer who always makes me want to update asap, in this case the next day! Aha, also your idea… so brilliant I had to put it in a chapter! Not this one, but the next. Looks like were on the same wavelength! Its not quite what you said but to fit it in it had to be even more subtle than you suggested! Thanks very much lovely! Hope you enjoy!**

**-….-**

Avery had never seen such a large bowl of ice cream before, and having been at Hogwarts for six years that was saying something. The yellow scoops, seven if she counted correctly were drizzled in chocolate sauce and sprinkles and looked extremely mouth-watering.

Slughorns room was dimly lit, a large circular table adorned the middle surrounded by a number of chairs. The professor himself sat ruddy cheeked in his high backed chair smiling hugely and gestured them inside, "Come in! Come in! Let the fun begin!"

"Why am I here again?" Avery asked Hermione who looked just as awkward as she did as she moved towards one of the chairs.

"Because professor Slughorn Invited you too, Avery, when you were cleaning your shirt at the Three Broomsticks." the girl replied.

"Why us though? Harry and you I can understand but why me?"

"Your name is very famous Avery." Hermione stated as she settled into her seat, "As is everyone elses here, well those who aren't top of the year grade wise anyway."

"Thanks." Avery frowned as she sat herself beside Hermione.

"So." the professor said loudly, "I trust everyone has had a good week and is raring to go?"

He received nods of confirmation and awkward mumbled replies.

"Good, good, so," he turned to his left, "Cormack, tell me, do you see anything of your uncle Tiberius these days?"

Cormac swallowed his bite of ice cream and smirked, "Yes sir, in fact I am meant to go hunting with him and the minister of magic over the holidays."

The professor moved onto the next student, a boy called Marcus who was shovelling his food as if he had never tasted it before. Zambini, who occupied the seat beside him grimaced at his behaviour as he replied to the professors questions with his mouth full.

"And you Granger?" he moved on, "What do your parents do in the muggle world?"

Hermione swallowed and placed her spoon onto her bowl, Neville, next to Avery stopped eating too as he also knew nothing of Hermione's family.

"They're dentists." A pause, "They tend to peoples teeth."

"Is it a dangerous proffesion?"

"No." she said quickly, "Though one boy did bite my father once, he needed ten stitches." She laughed awkwardly in the silence that followed until the professor moved on to Avery.

"Miss Greenwood, how is your mother?"

"Uh, I don't know professor," Avery replied slowly, "I haven't seen her since fifth year."

"Oh?" Professor Slughorn continued, "Why is that?"

"She's uh," Avery glanced to her friends, the professor, Zambini and all the other students who stared in anticipation, "She's not on our side."

"Oh. I had heard rumours, though I.. Yes, well.." To Avery's enormous relief the door opened quickly, revealing Ginny Weasley in a glittery dress.

"Ah, Miss Weasley!" The professor cried, also looking extremely relieved at the interruption.

"Look at her eyes, she and Dean have been fighting again." Hermione whispered as Harry moved to push back his chair.

"Is she okay?" Avery asked to which Hermione shrugged.

"Sorry," Ginny said, "I'm not usually late."

Avery bit her lip to stop from laughing as Harry stood for seemingly no reason as Ginny took her seat and sat back down awkwardly, shooting a hissed "What?" towards Hermione who was also smiling at him.

Conversation remained slow and rather strained and Professor Slughorn seemed reluctant to talk to Avery directly after his little slip up and the red head was extremely thankful when the night wound down and everybody moved to leave. "Goodbye, thank you for attending, goodbye!" the professor called through the door.

"Bye professor." Hermione said politely as Avery thanked him.

"So, Mione, did you notice that McCormack was staring at you through the whole meal?"

"Yes I noticed." Hermione sighed, "He's repulsive."

"I'll assume Harry is staying to talk to the professor." Avery smiled.

…

"Avery! Wake up this minute!" Hermione's voice cut through her sleep, "You'll be late to Herbology."

"That's not such a bad thing though is it." Avery stated as she pushed her covers off, the cold air of their room biting at her legs and skin, "It's freezing." she complained.

"So cast a warming charm."

"Sometimes I hate you Hermione." Avery groaned.

"I love you too Avery, now get ready, we've already missed most of breakfast already."

"We? You're up late too?"

"Yes, well, it was a rather late night last night wasn't it."

Avery grinned as she moved around to find her uniform and by the time she was even remotely presentable she had only ten minute before she had to be to class, both she and Hermione who was in a panic at this point travelled quickly to the great hall, grabbed a piece of toast to go from the rapidly emptying tables and moved to class as quickly as possible.

Avery slid onto her seat in Herbology just seconds before the start of lesson, still chewing on her last bite of bread. "You look terrible Greenwood." Malfoy scoffed from his usual seat, dressed in black and as immaculate as ever. Her only response was to narrow her eyes in his direction and turn towards the professor.

"Today, as it is nearly Christmas we will be talking about mistletoe."

Avery heard a resounding groan from the males in the room and a number of sighs from some females in the room. Avery herself just found mistletoe to be annoying rather than romantic, more anger inducing that love creating. Especially Hogwarts mistletoe. Hermione had told her about mistletoe in the muggle world, it was a simple plant that hung in doorways and a couple beneath could chose to kiss if they wished to. Mistletoe in the wizarding world was a whole other story however.

A twig of mistletoe appeared before each student, ripe with lush green leaves and bright red berries.

"No one touch the mistletoe." The professor said, "It could cause human contamination. Today we will make these pieces of mistletoe into the mistletoe that we have come to associate and subsequently fear with Hogwarts. The enchanted kind."

"I'm sure a number of you have been caught in their clutches over the holidays," Avery groaned quietly, remembering a particularly awkward encounter with Fred- or George- at the Christmas dance in fifth year before all of the ministry mayhem. Everybody except Avery found the whole thing hilarious.

It seemed a number of the students in the room were remembering similar incidences if the look on their faces were anything to go by.

The professor chuckled, "I see I am correct. So, who can tell me how it gets to the point where only a kiss can free you?"

"An enchantment of course." Malfoy snorted.

"Yes," the professor replied, "But why is it that mistletoe is the only plant that has this effect when enchanted."

Avery grinned when the smug smirk on Malfoy's face dropped at the question. He obviously didn't know the answer.

"Neville?"

"Because there is a special product in the berries, professor, an aphrodisiac if you will, it brings forth feelings towards the person you're with. Anything from friendship up can lead to a kiss, pure hate, often leads to a fight, it sort of makes these feelings more prominent." Neville explained, confidently. Avery felt proud of him, she had never seen her friend so confident, or as he would put it, smart.

"Correct Mr Longbottom. Ten points to Gryffindor house." Avery cheered internally at the house points. "Mr Longbottom is correct, there is a liquid in the berries that when enchanted bring forth often dormant emotions and feelings towards another. Today we will be practicing this enchantment. For most of you it should be simple, for others…" her gaze found Avery's table of failures, " it will not be. You will find the enchantment in your book, at NEWT level it is not up to me to divulge this information to you. Begin."

"I hate this lesson." The blonde Hufflepuff girl, Amanda sighed from her seat opposite Malfoy. "How do we eve find the enchantment."

"Look up mistletoe in the plant list." Avery explained, "I've seen it in the book before."

"That seems too easy." Amanda replied.

"No. Red's right. It's all on the mistletoe pages." Malfoy interrupted, opening his book to the page, a pointing haughtily, "You would know that if you looked yourself."

The Hufflepuff scowled and roughly opened her own book, promptly ignoring the people before her, "Malfoy." Avery growled, "Must you be so rude to everyone?"

"Only people not worthy of my manners."

"And what is with the nickname?" She asked.

"Your hair." Was once again the only reply she received to the question.

With a roll of the eyes she began to study her book in earnest in search of the enchantment, noticing that most of the students had already found it and were beginning to practice it, though she couldn't pick out any specific words to help her along.

The Hufflepuffs opposite didn't look to be having much luck either, and it seemed as if they were just taking turns to jab at the lifeless plant before them with their wands, the darker skinned girl, Lexi cried something that Avery didn't quite catch and the plant seemed to jump to life , glowing slightly around the edges, the majority of the class stopped in their progress to observe.

"Congratulations girls! You've done it! Now class, look what happens next." the professor cried giddily.

The mistletoe rose slowly into the air, the glowing growing brighter and spreading throughout the leaves wrapping like a coil around the berries. Avery raised her eyebrows, it was a beautiful sight to behold.

"Wait." The professor said wearily, "That's not quite right."

"What do you mean?" Lexi, who had been smiling warmly before that comment, asked.

"Everyone just-" Whatever the professor had been about to say was lost in the loud bang that exploded from the mistletoe, covering Lexi in a fine red liquid, Avery guessed possibly from the berries.

"Oh no. Everybody stay here, I'll get the nurse!" The professor shouted moving swiftly from the room.

"The nurse!" Amanda shrieked, "What's happening Lexi?"

Her friend did not reply however, she was staring transfixed and wide eyed at Draco Malfoy of all people.

"What?" He spat towards the girl who seemed unphased by his attitude. Avery shrugged when the Slytherin shot her a questioning look. "Neville?" She asked.

"If Lexi has done what I think she has done then she's enchanted herself." Neville explained.

"Enchanted herself?" Malfoy asked the boy with none of the usual snide comments, or attitude.

"Yes, I think it means that the first person she sees of the gender she is attracted to becomes the object of her affection. Intense affection."

Malfoy swallowed and inched closer to his red haired partner who in return earned an angry glare from the previously harmless Hufflepuff.

"And jealousy." Neville added not so helpfully. Lexi raised her wand and Avery found herself grabbing her own in case she were made to defend herself.

"Malfoy," she hissed as the blonde moved closer still, "Stay the hell away from me."

"Not a chance!" the Slytherin bellowed, ungracefully jumping backwards and moving behind Avery, a hand gripping the back of her robes tightly his wand pointed over her shoulder towards the girl opposite who seemed to be absolutely livid.

"Lexi." Amanda started, "Stop being silly. That's Malfoy."

"Isn't he beautiful?"

"Malfoy! Get off of me." Avery struggled, cursing under her breath about stupid Hufflepuffs who manage to find an enchantment way more powerful than was needed.

"You get the bloody Hufflepuff away from me first." he argued as Lexi moved slowly around the desk, cautious as if approaching a feral beast.

"This is ridiculous. She's going to curse me Malfoy."

"Better you than me."

"Bloody ferret." Avery grumbled stepping back harshly onto Malfoy's foot, who yelped in pain but maintained a tight hold on her robes, and stepped backwards with her.

"It's like a mating ritual. I've seen it in Snorkcumbers." Lunas dreamy voice spoke, "The females fight and the male takes the side of his favourite. It's all rather romantic really."

Avery ignored the girls rambling for fear of her life until the professor returned, nurse in tow with her wand pointed towards the obvious suspect. Lexi, eyes still resolutely on Malfoys face immediately stiffened and rose into the air.

"No one worry," the nurse, one whom Avery didn't recognise spoke, "We'll take her to the hospital wing, it should wear off in a few hours."

As the girl was removed from the room the students inside seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief, though Avery didn't think there was anyone more relieved than herself, accept maybe Malfoy, who still had a death grip on her robes. She could feel his ragged breath against her neck and had to reel herself in before she could speak.

"You can let go now." Avery growled, "The big bad Hufflepuff is gone."

"Shut up." Malfoy grunted as he roughly let her go.

"Snake." she mumbled, straightening her robes.

…

Later, at dinner, Avery listened in silence as Neville recalled the lessons events to their friends, laughing throughout.

"The ferret hid behind Avery?" Ron snorted, "That's bloody brilliant."

"It's a wonder that Avery didn't cause the problem." Hermione joked receiving a piece of chicken to the cheek for her efforts.

"Nope." She replied, "This time I was completely innocent."

"I cant believe Malfoy used you as a shield though." Harry added, "What a wimp."

" I cant really blame him." Avery found herself saying, "the look in Lexi's eyes was frankly terrifying. I would've hidden too."

"But behind a girl!" Ron cried, "Behind you!"

"I'm a girl who can still kick your arse Ronald." Avery threatened, adopting the boys full name in the same way only Hermione and Mrs Weasley did when they were very angry at him. The ginger winced slightly and mumbled an apology as he bit ino a chicken leg.

"Now if you will excuse me." Avery said, "I have to go visit McGonnagal to talk about my progress in Herbology. This should be a brilliant anecdote to start off the meeting."

"Good luck." Ron said around a mouthful of food as Avery climbed off the bench.

She ignored the people staring, having obviously heard of the afternoons proceedings as she made her way from the hall and sighed gratefully as she made it to the empty corridor, only just realising the schools decorations were up, which made sense considering it was only a few days until people left for Christmas. Once the Quidditch match of Gryffindor vs. Slytherin was done they would be leaving for Rons. Only a week or two to go. Brilliant Avery thought as she came to McGonnagals office, a whole Christmas of the Weasleys, who had graciously allowed her to spend it with them and Harry since Matilda would be spending it with her own son whom she had not seen for years and her grandchildren. Though her nanny wished for Avery to join them, Avery knew that this was an important time for their family and she was more than happy to give them the alone time they needed. Besides, Ron's would be brilliant and she would have a great time.

"Come in." McGonnagals voice called and Avery blinked.

The best part, she thought, would be no Herbology.

…

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	19. Cheating and Hermione's pain

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 19- Cheating and Hermione's pain.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**THIS CHAPTER IS also dedicated to Saskia.. Aka- thislookslikeajobforme. INFACT! Have the whole fic! You're brilliant! Aha! **

**Please remember readers, that I m rewriting this to my own liking so you may not recognise a lot of the speech etc as I am changing everything.**

**-….-**

Avery knew immediately, the moment that Ron entered the great hall in his brand new Quidditch uniform, because silence crashed upon the room.

It was not uncommon for new players to be gawped at of course, but extremely clumsy Ron Weasley, taking the place of keeper for what was considered the match of the year, as were all matches between Gryffindor and Slytherin, was something to behold.

Avery would admit, that she herself had had her doubts when Ron had first said he wanted to try out for the team, and the fact that Hermione had helped him along with his tryout didn't exactly fill her with a bucket load of confidence, she wouldn't tell Ron however, from the terrified look in his eyes to the grimace of his mouth as he sat beside them, he needed all the encouragement he could get.

"Are you okay Ron?" Hermione asked, obviously sharing Avery's concern.

The ginger swallowed audibly and nodded, "Yes… no… I cant do this Harry."

"Yes you can Ron," Harry said, smiling encouragingly at the same time another student, Slytherin probably, pointed openly towards Rons helmet and laughing loudly.

"I cant, I'm going to mess everything up!"

"No you… Oh will you shut up!" Avery shouted towards a group of Slytherin girls who were still giggling behind Ron, "You'll do great Ron, Harry wouldn't have let you on the team if you weren't good enough."

"Exactly, friend or not Ron, if you were rubbish I would have said no." Harry reaffirmed.

"Ron?" a high pitched voice said from behind him, Avery and the others glanced up quickly to see Lavender Brown, bouncing on the spot and grinning almost manically.

"Yeah?" Ron asked, rather rudely, Avery thought.

"I just wanted to wish you luck. I know you'll be brilliant." She said before she swanned off, glancing back regularly as she sat down with her friends.

"I cant do this Harry," Ron cried, "Give the place on the team to McCormack after this match. He'll do better."

"Fine." Harry sighed, "At least have some juice."

Ron took the offered goblet and moved to drink it, interrupted however, when Luna's dreamy voice sounded. Avery wasn't sure how she hadn't noticed the girl until now, her hat, a huge lion head was simply impossible to ignore.

"Hello everyone," she said, "Ron you look awful, is that why you put something in his drink Harry?"

Hermione's head shot up from her breakfast, scowl firmly in place, Avery frowned as Luna asked, "Is it a tonic?"

"Liquid luck?" Hermione asked, just as Avery caught a flash of the familiar tear shaped glass vial as Harry returned it to his robe pocket.

"Don't drink it Ron!"

Avery had possibly expected betrayal, sadness, anger to pass across Rons face, not determination, however, before she could even blink the goblet was empty and Ron was smiling.

Avery laughed as Ron said, "Come on Harry, We've got a game to win."

"It's not funny Avery. It's cheating." Hermione said harshly as Ron practically skipped away.

"If we win, what does it matter?" Avery asked, following after her friend, wrapping her scarf around her neck as she did.

"You know," Malfoys voice sounded, beside her, a waft of familiar vanilla invading her nostrils, "I've always thought it rather mean that the sorting hat continuously places gingers in the house with the colours that will clash most with their hair."

"I'm hardly a ginger Malfoy, its red." she paused, "Should you be talking to me? In public?"

"Technically, I'm insulting you."

"Technically you're annoying me." Avery shot back.

A small chuckle met her ears and Avery found herself smiling slightly, "Why aren't you in your Quidditch robes?" she asked the blonde.

"Didn't you hear?" Malfoy asked, as they pushed through the doors into the cold school hallway, straightening his black blazer, "I quit the team."

"Fed up with losing to Harry?" Avery asked.

"More important things to do." Malfoy replied.

"Oh?" Avery laughed, "What could you possibly have to do that is more important that losing a Quidditch game and making Gryffindor look good?"

She received no reply from Malfoy as they walked together through the empty hall way, most students either already at the pitch in anticipation for the big game or still eating.

"So, how many people have laughed at you for the Herbology incident?" Avery asked, "Even McGonnagal smiled about it."

"It's not funny." Came the petulant reply a few steps behind her, she stopped as she had realised that she had walked ahead.

"You're not coming? To the match?" Avery asked. Icy eyes met hers.

"With you?"

She shook her head, "In general."

"Like I said, Red, I have more important things to do." The blonde said, as he moved to turn back the other way.

Avery snorted, "Of course."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You just don't want to watch your house lose again." Avery shot, stepping out onto the snow to move towards the Quidditch grounds.

She found herself held in place however by a strong hand wrapped around her wrist.

"You don't know anything." Malfoy growled against her ear. Avery felt herself shiver as the hand left her wrist and Malfoy moved away. She glanced towards him and found herself wondering, really looking at him and realising, she didn't know this boy, not really, not as anything other than a big pain in her arse. But looking at him now, she saw something else, something more human if you will. Something in his eyes, a type of dread maybe? Fear? She truly didn't know nor did she understand what it was that pushed her to say, "Then tell me." What the hell was she doing?

Apparently Malfoy was as shocked by the statement as she herself was, his eyes widened slightly, and he said, "Can't."

Avery frowned as the Slytherin stalked away. "Get a grip, Avery." She growled, moving towards her own destination, hand unconsciously seeking out the place on her wrist where Malfoys skin had touched her own, the smell of vanilla still lingering, her curiosity irrevocably piqued.

**-….-**

Ron excelled, Avery knew he would, Liquid luck certainly made sure of it.

She had no problem with what Hermione perceived as cheating, the house deserved a bit of a pick me up, what with everything going on as it was, they needed something to cheer about, Ron especially, he had so little self confidence as it was, always needlessly comparing himself to Harry.

It was a good thing. The Gryffindor students cheered loudly, numerous voices ringing through the trough the halls and echoing off of stone walls excitedly. Dean Thomas seemingly the loudest of all. "You were brilliant Ron!" "Ron! Ron!" They chanted to the brightly bushing boy who was grinning almost manically.

Avery trailed behind the horde with Hermione and Ginny, the latter of which was complaining about how horrid her own uniform felt.

"Why didn't you change then?" Avery asked.

"And miss this celebration? Not a chance, Ill do some spells in my room that will sort it!"

"You're incorrigible." Hermione laughed.

"What Hermione meant to say is that you were brilliant!" Avery amended.

"I'm always brilliant" Ginny replied and it was as Avery was rolling her eyes, brain formulating an appropriate response that she noticed a flash of white blonde hair, moving quickly through the crowd, unseen by everyone except herself it seemed.

She narrowed her eyes nodding numbly to whatever it was Hermione was saying, mind immediately consumed by her vision of the blonde, skulking away from the crowd, eyes shifting side to side. She remembered how strange he had acted before the game, also that he hadn't gone to said game. So what was he doing?

"What is he up to?" she murmured.

"Sorry?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing." Avery started, "I have to.." she watched Draco disappear around a corner, "Bathroom." She didn't wait for her friends to respond, only began to push through the crowd, moving against the current. It was possible Hermione said something, she couldn't be sure though.

Once free of the crowd she sprinted forward, Malfoy walked steadily ahead of her and she found herself calling his name before she had even thought about her approach or even about why she was following him in the first place.

The Slytherin stopped abruptly, tensed, then seemingly relaxed, "You following me now Greenwood?"

"No. Yes." She laughed, "What are you doing?"

"Why do you care?" he asked, shifting from one side to another.

"I don't, I just saw you walking and.."

"Gave into your Gryffindor curiosity?" Draco spat, defensive.

"I guess so, you looked so suspicious." Avery joked.

"I'm not suspicious, Greenwood." Malfoy growled, angrily.

"What is your problem? I was joking." Avery replied, taking in how tense the blond stood, how his eyes kept darting around the room, "What _are_ you doing?"

"Nothing Greenwood. Stay out of my business." Avery frowned, she was used to Malfoys attitude but she had found herself thinking that maybe they had been getting along better recently, that maybe… she shook her head and concentrated instead on what was around her, this hall, she knew from experience, led mostly towards classrooms and the room of requirement. She studied Malfoy intently, what was he hiding?

"What?" Malfoy asked, face reddening with anger.

"I was just checking, to see what you were doing." Avery attempted to explain.

"Because I'm so suspicious?"

Avery wanted to say no, though she obviously meant yes. That was why she had followed him after all. She _wanted_ the easy camaraderie from this morning, but instead she kept quiet.

"You know how much I hate that?" Malfoy shouted, Avery started, through all the insults and fights Malfoy had never shouted before, "That silence instead of a reply? You're just as bad a your mother!"

Avery jumped, felt as if she had been smacked in the face, hurt.

"I'm nothing like my mother." she said, angered.

"You'd be surprised." Malfoy replied.

Averys wand felt as if it were burning in her robe pocket, se wanted nothing more than to pull it free and hex Malfoy into next week, instead she spun on her heel and walked, steadily as possible lest Malfoy see how offended she was, in the direction her friends had headed.

The Grffindor common room heaved with activity. Her friends and fellow housemates cheered still and Ron basked in the glow of being their hero.

Avery couldn't help the smile as she stepped through the portrait hole, feeling the heavy weight leaving her shoulders. She found she could ignore the dark feeling that had over taken her since the comparison to her death eater mother in the soft glow of the common room, in the loud celebrations of her housemates.

She noticed, through the mass of bodies, Harry and Hermione stood slightly off to the side, Hermione's arms crossed over her chest, speaking animatedly.

She sidled up to them , "…Cheating Harry."

"You still going on about that Hermione?" Avery interrupted, guessing at the subject matter. She earned a withering glare for her efforts and Harry replied, "So it wasn't cheating when you confunded McCormacks broom?"

"That was different Harry! That was just try outs!" Hermione defended herself, "This was a proper match, it was dishonest!"

"Was it?" Harry asked, smirking as he reached into his robe pocket and pulled forth what Avery immediately recognised as the vial of liquid luck.

"You didn't put it in!" Hermione cried astonished, "Ron just thought you did."

"Yup." Harry grinned towards his ginger friend who was once again being lifted by the crowd. "Ron got onto the team on his own merits, he just needed to believe he would do well."

"Brilliant!" Avery grinned.

"Yeah.." Hermione said quietly, stepping forwards. She stopped short however when Lavender Brown pushed through the crowd, grabbed Ron and "Oh no," Avery grimaced, kissed him.

She noticed Hermione's shoulders slump, then straighten out and watched her mousy head move through the crowd and out of the common room.

"Bloody hell. Should've seen that coming." Harry sighed also watching Hermione retreat.

"I did see that coming." Avery groaned, "We should go and find her."

…

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	20. The aftermath

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 20- The aftermath**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**SO I dedicated this fic to Saskia- and in return I got what was possibly the best review ever! It contained numerous Sherlock BBC references (if you don't watch it then you're missing out-A LOT) Best thing ever! So Saskia- here's an idea- I'll take Benedict for those three days and swap you Rupert Graves for that time? =P **

**ANYWAYS! I'm sorry its been so late I haven't given up at all as you can see below! Ive been swamped with work and coursework to the point where I have no time to sleep let alone update! However, the 4****th**** of may , (may the fourth be with you) is my deadline. Oh and did I mention I've finally finished my coursework? No! Well I have, then like a five month holiday so ill be able to update a lot more!**

**-….-**

It took hardly any time at all to find Hermione, so loud were her sobs, Avery closed her eyes against the sound, wishing she could block it out the last time she had heard Hermione cry this way was first year, after Ron had mocked her and Avery had found herself comforting the poor girl before receiving a rather nasty headache courtesy of a troll she hadn't even known about until the moment she'd found herself hitting the ground.

Hermione hadn't cried this hard when Ron had hurt her at the ball either, or subsequently after Cedric's death. In fact it seemed that looking back it was almost always Ron who made Hermione cry and now was no different. In fact it seemed worse.

"Hermione?" Harry questioned softly as they rounded the corner to find the girl huddled in her robes on the concrete stairwell. Harry took the seat on the stair beside her. Avery's eyes found the tweeting dust birds spinning around above them controlled by Hermione's wand. "You okay?" Harry asked.

Hermione wiped the tears from her face, as Avery ducked away from one of the birds, "Are these safe?" she asked.

"Charms spell." Hermione stated with a nod, "I'm practicing."

Harry complimented her and the tears seemed to fall even harder, "How does it feel? When you see Dean with Ginny?" Hermione asked the be speckled boy.

Harry's face registers surprise and Avery cant help but smile despite the situation, "I know Harry." Hermione says.

"Me too." Avery adds.

"I see the way you look at her." Hermione speaks, "You're my best friend." Avery feels a tiny stab of pain as her bushy haired friend says those words, eyes firmly fixed on Harry. Sometimes she wishes Hermione would say something like that to her. But this isn't about her right now and she returns her attention to the matter at hand.

Harry opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by loud, unfortunately familiar voices.

Before she can even blink Ron and Lavender are before her, "Oops!" Lavender cries in a voice that tells Avery she knows exactly what is going on and makes Avery want to rip the stupid pink ribbon from her hair. "I think this room is taken."

Ron's face however shows nothing but confusion as Lavender runs off, "What's with the birds?" he asks, not expecting Hermione to rise from her position and shout a charm, causing the birds to fly at him with such force that they turn into nothing but the dirt and dust they were before when they hit the door.

The betrayal on Ron's face matches that of Hermione exactly.

He leaves the room and Hermione hugs into Harry again as she begins crying. Avery stands awkwardly in the middle of the space. Her friends are both hurting over unrequited loves. Avery herself has never even liked anyone, let alone cared so much. She wonders if that is something she has learned from her mother from a young age, maybe she will never feel such feelings.

"We should go to bed." She says after a while, "Its getting late."

Hermione nods, clears her face of residual tears and stands, strong and proud. "You're right."

The three slowly make their way back to the common room, Hermione and Harry both deep in thought, Avery wonders whether or not things will be better in the morning. She doubts it, there is no one more stubborn than Hermione and no one more oblivious than Ron. Harry meets her eyes over Hermione's head and grimaces, he is obviously thinking the same thing.

Hermione is composed as they reach the common room and Harry mutters the password. The party inside is still raging without the man of the hour or his friends, the Gryffindor students don't seem to mind very much though. Most still drunk on the sheer happiness of belonging to a winning house.

"Come on 'Mione. The party sucks anyway, lets go upstairs." Avery says, taking Hermione's arm. They wish Harry good night and move to the girls dormitory. Hermione still quiet.

Once they are ready for bed, and snuggled into their sheets, the only girls up to be this early Avery speaks, "Mione?"

"Yes?"

"I don't think Ron knows. If he did he wouldn't-"

"You don't have to stick up for him Avery." Hermione says in reply.

"I'm not. Ron's not a bad guy Hermione, he's just a bit of an idiot."

"Good night Avery." And that is that.

**-….-**

The next day they don't speak of it until after potions when Hermione and Avery first find themselves alone. Away from Harry and Ron who was studiously avoiding Hermione and by extension Avery.

"You know I still have to go to the Weasleys for Christmas this year don't you?" Avery asked, deciding to go straight into it rather than hedging around the situation.

"Of course I do." Hermione replied.

"It's just I promised Matilda. I'm not taking sides or anything."

"I know Avery. Its okay."

**-….-**

Avery and Ron barely speak until lunch time two days later when the boy finds himself late and the only empty seat beside Avery.

"Hi." he grunted, pulling his robes in as he say.

"Hi Ron, how have you been?" Avery asked kindly, eating the food before her.

"Fine."

"How's Lavender?" Avery asked, spotting the blonde staring at them a few seats down.

"She's alright."

"Good."

"Yeah."

Ron stuffed meat into his mouth for a few minutes before Avery spoke again, "Look, Ron, this is awkward. It shouldn't be, I have no problem with you honestly."

"I know Ave." he smiled, "It's okay, besides you are still coming for Christmas in a few days right?"

"Absolutely."

"Good. It'll be good to get away, I just don't know what's up with Hermione you know?"

"I know you don't Ron. It'll get sorted." Avery promised gently, "Just give her time."

"Yeah you're right."

"Of course I am." Avery laughed.

Ron threw his arm around Avery shoulder and hugged her close.

"I missed you."

"You too Ron, you too."

**-….-**

Malfoy appeared in the astronomy tower every night the week before the students were to leave before Christmas.

"Why do you come here Malfoy?" Avery asked on the Wednesday night, "I know why I come here but why do you?"

"Why do you come here?" Malfoy replied, avoiding the question as per his usual way.

Avery rolled her eyes, "I come here when I'm stressed or sad, or when I want to be alone." The last word said pointedly. "What about you?"

"Are you looking forward to the Christmas holidays?" he asked instead of replying.

Avery sighed and stalked from the tower.

**-….-**

"Are you finished sulking now?" Malfoy asked before Avery had even stepped through the door the next night.

"Do you just come here to annoy me?" Avery cried, leaning heavily over the towers rails, "I'm going to have to find somewhere else aren't I? You've been following me here for weeks now."

"I'm hardly following you Greenwood." Malfoy stated, "I was here first tonight."

"You know what I mean."

She is met with silence and studied the blonde beside her, "It is strange though, as much as you annoy me, I don't actually want to strangle you when we're up here."

"Good to know." Came the mandatory witty remark.

Malfoy looks tired, she realises more drawn than usual, like he hasn't been sleeping as much as he needs to. She idly wonders why but doesn't ask.

"It is peaceful here." Malfoy says softly, as if to himself, "You can just get away from everything."

"It's that bad in the Slytherin common room then?" Avery asks gently crossing her arms over the rails and feeling herself relax.

"The usual. Gryffindor?"

"You can imagine." Avery laughs, "I was very thankful when we learned the muffling charm in forth year."

"We were taught that?" Malfoy asks, sounding rather surprised.

"Yes. You don't remember?"

"No. I was rather focused on the Wizards cup." Malfoy replies.

"Oh yeah, the Potter stinks badges. Lovely of you."

Avery is slightly taken aback when Malfoy smiles, unguarded, she notices with shock that it makes him look younger, his teeth are straight , white and his smile is bright, something Avery hasn't seen before. Usually its just that infuriating smirk.

"They were rather good weren't they?"

"I guess it wasn't the worst thing that happened that year." Avery stated sadly.

"No." Malfoy agrees for once, "It wasn't."

**-….-**

"It's Friday." Avery says as Malfoy comes through the door to the Astronomy tower, later than usual, she wonders when this became a usual thing. "We leave for Christmas Sunday morning."

He doesn't reply, obviously in one of his quieter moods again.

Over time Avery has found herself able to read Malfoy, able to understand when to be serious, when to make a joke.

"How do you never get caught?" She asks.

"I'm a Slytherin" is the wry response.

"I almost got caught once, fifth year. It was just after the minis.." she pauses, they speak the truth to no one, "that night and I was in a lot of pain and I had just found out about my mum and I wasn't exactly paying attention. Snape almost caught me."

"How did you get away?"

"I ran. Fast."

Malfoy smiles again and she finds herself smiling with him.

**-….-**

Saturday night comes quicker than Avery thought it would, she often finds that the weekends drag on when the holidays are coming up, however before she knows it she is in the astronomy tower, Malfoy at his usual place by her side, staring out at the grounds.

"You know," Avery speaks, "When I was younger, before Hogwarts, my mother used to talk about you and your family, she always thought we would be the best of friends."

"Did she?" Malfoy asks, turning his angled face towards her.

"Yeah, but I suppose nothing she expected for me actually happened did it?"

"Suppose not."

"I think," Avery says feeling a little low, "that if I had been sorted into Slytherin like she'd expected, things might have been easier." Avery doesn't know why she is telling him these things, she just finds it easy to talk to him, "I might have even been an invisible face in the crowd."

"Well you are melancholy tonight." Malfoy laughs, Avery refrains from replying, the blonde shakes his head, "No Greenwood, things wouldn't have been easier. Not with your name. Besides, whichever house you were sorted into you would have still be you and you would have still been friends with Weasley, Granger and the Golden boy. You would have still been an annoying Gryffindor at heart."

Avery frowned, "I don't think so. If I were sorted into Slytherin they wouldn't have wanted to know. I'm not important, not like Harry. Hermione she's the smart one, more than smart actually she's a genius. Ron, believe it or not but he is the most important, he spurs everyone on, he's the most loyal and brave. But me, I'm just the tag along, sure I help sometimes but I don't really have a place."

"I don't believe that."

"It took them so long to trust me, after they found out about my mum, they wouldn't tell me things, sometimes they still don't."

Malfoy gives an exasperated sigh, "Greenwood. You are important to them, any imbecile or-"

"Heartless Slytherin?" Avery interrupts.

"Or Hufflepuff can see that. It was clear from first year. You're more stupid than you look if you cant see that."

Avery laughed, "You pay that much attention do you?"

"I observe Greenwood."

A comfortable silence settles upon them until Malfoy breaks it again, "My mother used to talk about you too."

Avery starts, "She did?"

"Yes. She used to talk about Mary Greenwood and her daughter the same age as myself. The girl who had skin the colour of snow and hair brighter than any flame, eyes as blue as the sky."

"That seems a little nice for your mother to say. Are you making this up?" Avery asked.

"I may be embellishing it a little to what I see now." Avery opens her mouth to question him, but he carries on, "She used to say that one day we would marry."

Avery chokes on a shocked laugh , "Like an arranged marriage?"

"I don't know Greenwood, its not really something you ask when you are nine years old and your mother is talking about your future wife."

"Do you think we would have been friends?" Avery wonders aloud, "If I were a Slytherin?"

"It wouldn't have mattered if we were." Malfoy's voice lowers, "We would have still been on different sides."

"Probably. I don't understand your views on names and money and power."

"And that's how we know you would never have been a Slytherin."

"Weirdly enough Malfoy, as much as I'm certain you have an ulterior motive you've made me feel a lot better." She pauses and turns to leave, "Thank you. Have a good Christmas Malfoy."

**-….-**

The halls are practically empty by the time Avery drags her trunk out of the Gryffindor common room, everyone so eager to leave the school, there were very few students staying behind this year. Hermione had left earlier than the others, sighting some excuse, though Avery knew it was simply another measure to avoid Ron, it was grating at her nerves now and she knew it was effecting Harry too. Hermione, apart from in lesson, was never in the same room with Ron, which meant Harry and herself had to equally divide their time between the two. When Ron wasn't with Lavender anyway.

She huffed as she dragged her large trunk behind her, wishing she had taken Harry up on his offer to help her, instead, like the idiot she was she had told him to go on whilst she packed, having slept later than usual due to her Astronomy tower visit last night.

She yawned, wrapping her scarf tighter around her neck, it was freezing in the castle and she could only imagine how cold it would be outside, she vaguely wished that she hadn't already packed her robe.

"Come on Dragon." She called to the cat that prowled slowly behind her, "Come here, you should be on the train already silly boy!"

The cat jumped into her free arm gracefully and snuggled into the warmth of her jacket. "Wish I had fur." she mumbled.

"Well fur isn't very attractive on a human." She heard Malfoys familiar drawl behind her.

" I don't know." She laughed, "I think I could rock it. Shouldn't you be on the train already?"

"I forgot something in the dorms."

"You're dorms are in the other direction Malfoy."

"So they are." The blonde said as he sidled closer.

"If you wanted to say goodbye Malfoy you-" she began only for her voice to cut out when his hand found her wrist again, "What are you doing?" she asked as he pulled her towards him. "Malfoy-"

She felt his breath against her jaw line, warm against her ear, "Merry Christmas Greenwood." he whispered lowly, lips trailing feather light across her jawbone towards her mouth.

_He's going to kiss me_, Avery thought manically.

Soft lips, softer than she would have ever imagined, pressed gently to the corner of her mouth, and she found herself turning into it slightly.

"Mistletoe." The Slytherin whispered against her lips before he pulled away and strolled casually down the hall. "See you later, Red." he called behind him.

Avery blinked, wondered if she had imagined the entire thing and moved to step forward, only for something to catch her eye at the Gryffindor common room entrance. She turned slowly. "Ginny?" She asked, cursing her luck.

"How could you Avery?" Ginny asked loudly, clutching what looked like a spare jacket to her chest.

"Ginny wait!" She called after the younger girl who promptly ran past her in the same direction Malfoy had gone.

"Ginny!"

…

**Oooh what happens now?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	21. A very Weasley Christmas sort of

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 21- A very Weasley Christmas … sort of.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Thank you very much for such quick responses guys! Thanks for sticking by me! **

**See! Check me out updating twice in as many days- also cause I like my skin 8\ **

**Once again guys, I am rewriting. AU if you will hence all the differences. Also I forgot bits so am rearranging the timeline. Especially of HBP.**

**-….-**

Avery didn't think she had ever moved as fast as she did that day, she made it to the Hogwarts Express in what seemed like seconds and happily let some prefect, she'd been too harried to notice the house, life her trunk onto the train.

She vaguely remembered calling a quick thanks over her shoulder and ignored the numerous voices, probably both student and teacher telling her to stop running or slow down, she had to find Ginny!

"Ginny!" she called, earning a dirty look from a Slytherin, mostly likely a third year.

She frowned at him and stopped the nearest Gryffindor she recognised and stopped them with a hand to the arm. "Have you seen Ginny Weasley?"

She received a startles look in reply, "Have you?"

"That way" the girl said, pointing behind her.

"Thank you." Avery said as she moved down the train, hearing the quiet whisper of the girl.. "She was at the ministry.."

It seemed like forever when she spotted the girl in a compartment with her fifth year friends. "Ginny!" she sighed in relief, stepping into the compartment, "Can I talk to you?"

"No." Comes the short reply.

"Please Ginny. It's important." Avery continues ignoring the looks from the other students in the compartment.

"Fine, outside."

Avery stepped back gratefully and allowed the red head to join her in the hall.

"Ginny I-"

"How could you Avery? How could you betray Harry like that?"

"I haven't betrayed anyone Gin! I didn't mean to, there's nothing going on it was just a-"

"A kiss Avery! With Malfoy."

"Hush!" Avery cried, sending a furtive glance around their immediate vicinity, thankful that no body seemed any the wiser "I wasn't a kiss. Not from me- I didn't know he was going to do that. I never intended for that to happen. I swear."

"I didn't even know you two talked. You looked awfully friendly before hand."

"Were not friendly. I can barely stand him. It was a one time thing Gin. I swear."

"You're lying."

"I'm not!" Avery cried, "I'm not lying. He just kept turning up at the tower, and the others weren't telling me things so I was going more often. He just kept turning up and he's not such a bad person really but I swaer I didn't ask for this. I'm as shocked as you are."

"Do you like him?"

Avery hesitated. Shook her head.

"Look Ave," Ginny sighed, "I don't get it. Merlin I hate the boy, he's horrid and foul and he's treated us like crap since our first years."

"He's really not so bad. I cant explain it, there's just something."

"Can I finish?" Avery nodded sheepishly, "Like I said, I don't get it, but if you see something that we don't or if you like him, or he makes you happy in some misguided way then do whatever."

"I wont Ginny. I swear nothing else happened. We just talk."

"Okay." the younger girl said with a shrug, looking for all the world like she didn't believe her.

"Please don't tell anyone else. I've never said anything that could compromise Harry or anything and I've never been told anything important either, If I had I would have told them by now."

"I wont say anything Ave."

"Thank you."

**_…._ **

Avery cuddled Dragon tightly to her chest ad sighed deeply, ignoring the concerned looks Hermione kept sending her way.

She couldn't bare to make eye contact for fear she would blurt everything out. Though technically she knew she had done nothing wrong, she felt horribly guilty for what had happened, because now she had a secret. Before, if someone had asked she would have happily told them that Yes Malfoy did often turn up in her favourite spot and Yes he did annoy her whilst there. But now, after the kiss she felt that she couldn't, because it was no longer simple, Malfoy had kissed her and she hadn't completely hated it.

His lips had actually been soft, she had never actively imagined what Malfoys lips would be like considering she despised the boy. Mostly. But she had been strangely surprised.

She wondered why he had done it, for the last six years he hadn't shown anything towards her other than complete disdain and nothing much had changed since they had started spending time together. It was all a shock to her.

"Avery?" Hermione's voice broke into her thoughts.

"Yeah?" She blinked.

"I said, I have to go and patrol. Make sure the first years are behaving."

"Oh." Avery blinked again, feeling stupid. "Ill go and see Ron and Harry." Her friend nodded curtly as they rose from their seats.

Avery made her way down the opposite direction that Hermione turned and knew she had found her friends compartment when she noticed a purple clad Lavender waving and pointing excitedly through a door, and was she breathing on the glass?

The girl moved on with a wave and Avery moved towards the door.

"R and L?" She snorted, as she pushed into the compartment, smacking Harrys feet onto the floor and sitting in the vacated space. "Nice."

"Shut up Avery." Ron grumbled.

"Awh, I'm sowwy Won Won." she mocked, stroking down Dragons flank.

"I said shut up." The ginger crossed his arms over his chest and sunk back into his seat, sulking.

"How's Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Oh you know. The same."

Harry nodded, sent another glance towards the window and closed his eyes.

Avery knew exactly how he felt.

**-….-**

The table was already laid when they arrived at the Weasleys house and Avery felt immediately at home.

"Avery dear, you'll of course be staying with Ginny again, though there will be more room this time since Hermione isn't here." Avery shot a glance to Ginny who smiled back slightly.

"Thanks Mrs Weasley."

"Molly dear."

"Thanks Molly." The food on the table looked to be to Molly's usual standards, completely delicious if the smell was anything to go by.

"I hope I can cook this well when I have kids." Ginny grinned taking her usual seat at the table.

"I'm sure you will Ginny." Harry replied as he pulled off his coat.

"Is that Harry I hear?" Came Remus Lupins voice from the living room.

The moustached teacher came through to the kitchen, lips stretched into a wide smile arms open to Harry, "Harry my boy."

"Hi Remus."

Tonks, hair black as night, followed behind the werewolf, "Tonks!"

Hugs and greetings were exchanged between the new arrivals and Avery grinned widely as her former teacher hugged her close. "And how have you been Avery?" he asked.

"Good. You?" She asked with a raised eyebrow towards Tonks.

"Fine thank you."

Avery laughed, "No one told us you were coming."

"Surprise," Remus laughed pulling out a seat beside Avery, "The Weasleys here didn't even know until this morning."

"Good thing I always make extra." Molly said, turning towards her husband, "Where are those twins?"

"Here mum." Came the response right on cue from the living room.

"They've got bloody marvellous timing." Ron said across the table.

"Fred here."

"George here."

"Allo everyone." the boys said in unison.

"Yes, yes, sit down." Molly kept fussing until everyone was seated.

"Dig in everyone." Arthur laughed

Avery had never experienced such a raucous Christmas dinner. Usually the holidays were spent just her and Matilda. Avery felt a pang in her heart at the thought of Matilda and was thankful she had already sent off her gift. She made a mental note however to write a letter soon. She was certain either Hedwig or Pidwigeon would be available for her to use. She'd send one to Hermione too. She could only imagine how sad the girl must still be feeling knowing that all of her friends were here.

"Merry Christmas everyone." Tonks cried, hair turning Christmas red and green.

"'Ere, we brought these new crackers!" Fred or George said, pulling said creations from under the table, "Who wants to try one?"

"I will!" Ginny laughed, taking one from her brother, "C'mon Harry."

Sparks flew from the cracker as it was pulled apart and once everyone had deemed that there seemed to be no unwanted side effects like green hair or skin they were passed around the table and pulled one by one. Avery spooned some more food into her mouth and smiled. Worries forgotten.

**-….-**

"Does Molly ever stop cooking?" Avery asked, flopping down onto the small green chair opposite the sofa where Harry sat, staring sickly at the table piled with more dessert. "I wont be able to eat for a month."

"There is a lot." Harry agreed.

"Try living here." Arthur laughed as he pulled himself with some trouble from his own seat passing Ginny as she came through the doorway a tray of food in her hands.

The girl glanced at Avery with a small smile and sat beside Harry.

Avery raised her eyebrows with a smirk as Ginny said something that seemed a little flirtatious and hand fed him a small mince pie.

"It's good." Harry grinned and Avery could practically feel the tension between them which was soon cut by Ron's body as he obliviously sat between the two. Avery snorted loudly and swallowed her laugh as Harry glared at her and Ginny stared at the carpet with a sigh.

"Awkward." Avery mouthed to Harry as Ron asked, "Pie anyone?"

**-….-**

It was later that night when Remus and Tonks wished everybody goodbye. Harry had already made his way upstairs and Avery had lost track of the twins and Ginny, she only knew where Ron was because of the obnoxiously loud snoring on the sofa opposite.

She sighed and moved from the sofa to shake Ron awake, "Come on you git! Go to bed!"

The ginger slapped her hand away and sat up mumbling, "I hate you."

"Yeah yeah, everyone is leaving. Lets go." Besides, Avery really wanted to have another talk with Ginny, just to make sure everything truly was okay, that they were still friends, on the same level.

"Remus what is it?" She heard Molly ask as she made her way into the hall, Ron close on her heels, worry lacing her voice.

"Remus? Sweetheart?" Tonks said.

"What's happening?" Ron asked loudly, never one for sneaking, or subtlety it seemed. Avery smacked the boy in the arm as Remus shushed them harshly.

"They're here." The wolf said as fire lit up the sky.

…

**You all know what happens next buuut not my version! Let me know what you think poppets!**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	22. Burning

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 22- Burning.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Hey Poppets, thanks for such an enthusiastic response, it feels good to be updating so regularly(ish).**

**Thanks again Saskia, sorry about your vid =PP**

**And- Joely dear- I have not forgotten, I cannot wait to get to that scene, I got a lot of Avery/Draco interaction set for after too! Thanks for your great review!**

**I know you guys want more A/D interaction but its getting there, bear with me! it's a slow burner they hated each other for years! Aha! Much love poppets!**

**Also another note- please remember I'm rewriting!**

**-….-**

Fire. Loud crackling, burning fire surrounding the burrow and everybody inside.

Before Avery knows what is happening, they are appearing, the death eaters, Greyback and Bellatrix and other faceless, grinning and smug.

"Harry no!" Arthur calls as the boy runs from the house and straight towards the death eater who had murdered his only living family.

"Harry!" Avery called as Remus followed closely behind only to be caught unable to follow as the fire closed around. Harry separated from the group. Avery pulled her wand from her sleeve, and noticed Ron follow suit.

"Ginny!" Molly Weasley cried as the girl found a small opening and followed blindly after Harry clad in only her dressing gown and probably wandless.

"Idiot!" Ron cried leaping forward.

"Don't you dare." Molly cried grabbing her other child menacingly.

Avery stood helpless, she had no idea what to do next, thoroughly trapped it seemed, wand raised but pointless, she didn't know any spells that could counteract the fire around them.

"Ave! Ron!" A voice whispered, "Come here!"

Avery turned towards the voice and noticed the twins, beckoning them over excitedly.

"What?" Ron hissed, "There's no time, Harry and Ginny are out there!"

"Exactly. We saw Greyback run this way." Fred grinned, pointing to an area in the burning circle that seemed to waver in heat and brightness every now and then obviously caused by the wolf himself.

"Brilliant." Ron said, running forward immediately Avery and the twins hot on his heels.

"Lets get Greyback!"

The heat felt blisteringly hot against Averys bare arms for the sparse moments she met the fire. "Where is he?" Ron asked, wincing as Bellatrix's voice rose over the chaos, taunting Harry, "I killed Sirius Black!"

"Split up!" Avery cried, "Go in a circle and meet in the middle, we'll trap him!"

The twins ran to the right leaving Ron and Avery the left. She didn't know for how far they ran or how long, but it seemed they were endlessly moving.

"Ave stop!" Ron hissed, grabbing roughly at her arm, "Listen?"

Avery held her heaving breath, listening intently, until her ears picked up on Harrys voice crying out a spell. Followed by a growling kind of laugh close by. She raised her wand higher, spell ready on her lips as Greyback appeared before them , ugly and intimidating, a dark leer plastered over his face. "Stu-" Avery began only to find herself falling the ground as Greyback's smoke form flew towards them.

"Avery!" They heard his lewd voice whisper, "Weasley."

Avery swallowed, whipping to the left, the right, behind, his voice seemed to be coming from every angle. From all around.

"Expelliarmus!" Ron cried loudly aiming in a random direction.

"Ron! Don't!" Avery cried, spotting a movement to the left, "He's this way!" she cried, sprinting through the overgrown crops as fast as she could. It was a while before she noticed Ron was no longer before her.

She stood still, listening, looking out for any sign that someone was near, friend or foe, she fought the urge to call out.

Avery had never fared well on her own, and this situation broke the boundaries of dangerous and possibly fatal. She needed help.

She stepped backwards quietly wondering if she could trace her steps back to where she had left Ron, maybe he had followed her.

A loud crack sounded in front of her and she stilled again, wand wavering. "Very pretty." Greyback's voice sounded, "Like your mother."

"Shut up!" she hissed, straightening, "Come out!"

"Expelliarmus." Came the lazy response, and Avery found herself wandless. She gasped and ran, forward she thought, though she found herself completely turned around, unable to see over the crops in order to find the fire and subsequently the way back to help.

"Ron!" Avery cried, "Harry!" Wandless and tired, clad in denim jeans and a shirt she was hardly in any position to fight a Hufflepuff let alone a death eater or a werewolf to boot.

"Avery?" She heard Rons voice call from the left.

"Ron," she heaved a sigh of relief, "I lost my wand- where-"

A hand clasped onto Avery's hair and pulled her head back, hard, "Hello Avery. Your mother sends her wishes."

"Get off me!" Avery cried, pulling away from the shrieking laugh of Bellatrix Lestrange, "Get off."

"Such lovely hair, like your mother, you can always tell a death eater from their hair."

Avery lashed out, scratching her nails down the back of the hand that remained in her hair though it seemed to have no effect on the woman who stepped back angrily.

Avery felt herself freed and stumbled away, eyes wide as she took in the frankly terrifying dishevelled appearance of Sirius Black's, lovely Sirius' murderer.

Avery shrieked as the woman raised her wand and opened her mouth to speak a no doubt horrid curse, "Avery? Harry!" Remus Lupin's voice sounded close by.

"Here!" Avery screamed, as Bellatrix sneered and disappeared into the crops. Avery took the change and sprinted towards the voices, growing louder. She kept moving until she collided with a tall form. "Fred!" She sighed in relief, hugging the twin.

"George." He laughed.

"I lost Ron." Avery stated as they moved forward.

"He's fine, I've seen him."

"Harry!" Remus cried, as they sped towards said boy in a clearing with Ginny and Arthur Weasley. Avery found herself enclosed in the circle next to Ginny who looked wet and vulnerable. The wait was tense, long and neither side seemed willing to make the first move. Eventually, the death eaters dispersed heading towards the burrow.

"Molly." Arthur whispered just as the Weasley home erupted into flames, spells, no doubt from the enemy.

"Merlin, No!" Ginny cried launching herself forward, running full pelt in her gown towards the burning burrow.

Arthur followed close behind.

"Come on." Harry cried, grabbing at Avery's sleeve and sprinting forward.

They reached the burrow in no time to find everyone safe and sound bar a few scratches here and there.

The Weasleys held tight to each other as they watched their house and belongings burn. Avery felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, possibly from Remus and felt a tear slide down her cheek.

The war had just gotten real. And they were not prepared.

…

**A/N- I have a new fic out! it's a walking dead Daryl/OC fic Check it out if you're a fan! Lots of love! X**

**What do you think?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	23. Change

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 23- Change**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Hey Poppets, thanks for such an enthusiastic response, it feels good to be updating so regularly(ish).**

**Thanks again Saskia!**

**I know you guys want more A/D interaction but its getting there, bear with me! it's a slow burner they hated each other for years! Aha! Much love poppets!**

**Also another note- please remember I'm rewriting!**

**-….-**

The journey to safety seemed to take no time at all but also far too long. Lupin's house was small, two bedrooms rather empty but for Tonk's possesions scattered around. It was not ideal and they couldn't all stay but it was safe for now. Hidden. The depressed silence was deafening , no one spoke, there was really nothing to say, Avery knew that there were ways to replace the possessions lost in the fire, the Weasley's would be okay and get there things back eventually. They could get back sentimental things if need be as due to Molly's magical prowess a lot of things were charmed to be safe through most disasters. More importantly though, everybody was safe and alive, barely injured. Ginny sat, forlornly huddled into her mothers side, Arthur and Molly held hands tightly, all of the Weasley's in fact produced a united front that screamed, 'We will not be beaten!'

Avery sat beside Harry, head leaning on the be speckled boys shoulder, Dragon purring softly in her lap, Hedwig cooed quietly from somewhere in the room. Remus and Tonks were in the their small kitchen, no doubt making enough tea to hydrate a small army.

Avery couldn't bring herself to close her eyes, the brightness of the fire still flickering behind her lids when she did. Molly's distressed sounds as her house burned around her, the loud crackle and creak of burning still rung ominously in her ears and louder than all of them, Bellatrix's laughter the epitome of evil.

"You okay?" Harry whispered into her hair.

Avery nodded in reply, "Yeah." She fingered the reassuring weight of the her wand up her sleeve, summoned from the fields by Arthur as they left the burrow behind.

She asked Harry the same question and he answered in much the same way. Avery watched as Molly murmured reassuringly into Ginny's ear. The twins, for once sat quietly, not returning to their own home, a unit.

Avery stood slowly from her seat and moved towards the bathroom in the hall, no one spared a glance in her direction.

The bathroom was small, only big enough to hold a small bathtub and toilet. Enough for the two of them. Avery leaned against the small half sink and glanced up into the small mirror that hung above, her reflection looked pale and haggard and her hair shone brightly underneath the florescent light, powered by electricity and not a spell as Avery had expected. Remus had always been familiar with the muggle world though.

She tugged at a lock of fire red hair that fell into her eyes and scoffed in disgust.

"_Such lovely hair, like your mother, you can always tell a death eater from their hair."_

"I'm not like you." she hissed towards her reflection.

**-….-**

Avery found herself back in the bathroom that evening, wand in hand, pointed towards her head.

"Colovara." She whispered.

Nothing happened, she sighed and repeated the charm again. She remembered Pavarati mentioning it once. "Colovara."

"Damn it!" She sighed, "Colovara."

Se shook her wand angrily and jumped back as a spark shot against the door, a large bang in its wake. She froze with abated breath hoping she hadn't woken any of the sleeping inhabitants of the house and sighed in relief when nothing stirred after some time.

She looked into the mirror again, determined, "Colovara." Nothing.

Perhaps she had heard it wrong or perhaps she was pronouncing it wrong.

"Calovara." she amended, "Calovara!"

She shrieked as the smell of singed hair filled the small room.

"What the-" she murmured, cupping her hands under the cold tap and rubbing splashing it over her hair. She groaned loudly and sat onto the water speckled floor.

She couldn't get Bellatrix's words from her mind.

"Avery?" A quiet voice called through the thick wooden door, _Ginny._

"Yeah?" Avery called back, wiping furiously at her tear stained cheeks.

"Are you-"

"I'm fine!" she said, wincing as her voice wavered.

"Let me in Avery or I'm letting myself in." Ginny threatened. Avery moved in time for the door to open behind her. She pulled herself off of the tiles and brushed her singed hair from her face.

"What are you doing Avery?"

"I was trying to change my hair colour." Avery stated avoiding eye contact.

"Really? After everything that happened tonight and you're worried about your hair?" Ginny scoffed.

Avery choked on a sob and bowed her head, "It's not that. Bellatrix said - and I'm not- Ginny I don't want to be like her! I cant be like her in any way."

"Like who?"

Avery turned to face her knowing that Ginny would eventually realise, the eerie similarities, hair like fire, blue eyes lighter than most shades, pale skin, ginger skin as Ron called it. The same nose, similar lips. Simply a younger version of her mother.

"Oh." Ginny said, "Oh okay."

The younger girl pulled her wand from her dressing gown pocket, "What spell were you using?" she asked.

"Colovara? Calovara? I don't know, they kept going wrong" she gestured towards the burnt ends of her hair.

Ginny grinned, "Well you're lucky I have friends who are girls. It's Colovaria."

"I have Hermione." Avery stated.

"And what does she know of beauty spells?" Ginny giggled, "She studies too much to know those things."

Avery laughed gently as Ginny unknotted some of the singed hair, "You're nothing like her Avery." Ginny said quietly. "You're good."

Avery shook her head.

"Ok. I'll do it for you." Ginny smiled, raising her want towards Avery's head, "Colovaria" she whispered. Avery watched as the natural red of her hair slowly faded to a soft brown colour.

"There," Ginny said. "No you can be your own person."

**-….-**

"Avery dear!" Mrs Weasley cried the next morning, "Your hair."

Avery tugged on her ponytail self consciously, "Ginny did it." She mumbled, "I felt like a change."

"We all do darling." Came Mrs Weasley's soft reply.

**-….-**

The holidays passed in a quiet depression, Christmas darkened by loss and the heavy weight of something more terrible to come, Avery found herself relieved to be stepping through the wall onto Hogwarts platform. Lupin and Tonks had been caring, attentive hosts but she felt they all needed the joyful carelessness that came with Hogwarts even in such dark times.

The platform was teeming like usual and Avery, by now, should be used to the hustle and bustle but still felt her heart pick up in excitement every time.

The moment the whole clan were through the barrier and shrill scream pierced the air. Avery spun around to defend herself but found herself instead with an arm full of bushy hair. "Avery! You're all okay!" Hermione pulled away, moving on to Harry. "I tried to contact you all but I had no way of tracking you and it was obvious that you wouldn't still be at the Burrow." She hugged Mrs Weasley, "Sorry Mrs Weasley, Mr Weasley." She said sincerely, pulling Ron into a hug without the thinking. Avery caught Harry's eyes and smiled as he raised his eyebrows in a confused gesture. The following silence was tense and Hermione pulled away wide eyed.

"Right," she coughed, stern, "We should be getting on the train."

They bid the Weasley's goodbye, including Fred and George who had felt the need to accompany them this time.

"So nobody was hurt right?" Hermione asked as they hoisted their trunks towards the train.

"Couple of small burns, nothing major." Ron shrugged.

"You could have died Ronald!" Hermione snapped, then lowered her voice, "The death eaters openly attacked you. I'm sure you know its been all over the Daily Prophet. It was an open attack. Everybody knows about It!"

"Is that why everyone is staring?" Harry asked glancing around as he stepped onto the train.

"People always stare at you Harry." Avery laughed.

"No I mean-" Harry indicated around and Avery noticed that people were in fact staring more than was normal for their group.

"Well what do you expect?" Hermione hissed, leading them confidently towards an empty compartment, "You were all at the ministry then you were all attacked by death eaters. You're names and pictures are all over the Prophet."

"Just in case people didn't know who we were anyway." Avery groaned.

"Here." Hermione said, pulling said Prophet from her jacket pocket. The bold headline read 'Ministry students in fire attack.'

Harry's picture stood out in the middle of the page, the Weasley's and Avery pictured in a smaller size along the bottom of the page. Avery did not recognise the pictures.

"Are these-"

"Yes." Hermione said, "There's some of myself, Luna and the others inside, all new."

"We're being followed?" Avery asked.

Hermione nodded, " I think so. They were taken after the ministry at least." the bushy haired girl frowned at Avery, "Your hair is different."

"Felt like a change." Came the custom response as Avery read through the paper article, resolutely ignoring the picture of herself, tucking a wayward strand of red behind her ear, and ignoring the glaring caption of _'Avery Greenwood, estranged daughter of well known death eater Mary Greenwood.'_

"I like it." Hermione smiled.

"Thank you."

**-….-**

That night Avery moved swiftly to the tower, the prefects and teachers always patrolled more on the first few days back, more mischief happened those days.

The sky grew darker quicker these seasons and she could not see much of the grounds below, the think shape of the whomping willow, and a dim shimmer of the lake under the waning moon. Hogwarts truly was beautiful.

Avery shivered, wondering how long she had been out here, and wrapped her robes around her tighter, strangely she found herself missing the familiar presence beside her, almost missing the snarky comments and interrupted peace.

She frowned, and ignoring the rising sense of disappointment in her gut she left the tower, feeling strangely tense. The halls were empty, she didn't know the exact time but probably even the patrolling staff and students were sleeping by now.

Her footsteps echoed loudly around her in the silence but nothing moved.

She stopped dead at the sound of another noise, another footstep possibly? "Hello?" she whispered, wincing even as she did so, hoping it was no one who could hand her a detention.

No other noise sounded so she continued walking, all senses on alert for another student. A flash of platinum streaked down the hall opposite her and she gasped, heart pounding. Malfoy? She ran forward, "Malfoy?" She hissed as she turned into the hall, "What are you doing?"

No one occupied the hall as she let her eyes scan, nothing moved.

"Malfoy?" She whispered again.

She shook her head when she saw or heard nothing for a few moments and turned back to her own dorm room.

If it were Malfoy she had seen, if she had seen anything at all then it was really none of her business what he got up to. She ignored the disappointment that still lingered in her chest.

**-….-**

_Red, or should I say not quite so red anymore,_ the parchment read the next morning in a familiar script, _I must say, I'm rather disappointed in you for such a drastic change, if not for your decidedly ginger complexion and rather distinct, well, everything else I might not have recognised you._ _I thought you said you didn't like to stand out? Well a change of that calibre will do that, it's all Pansy and the girls can talk about. They say it makes you look more Slytherin. Possibly that's what you were aiming for? Of course your hair is less of a story than the fire you survived, congratulations on that by the way. Gryffindor's, terribly difficult to be rid of I would imagine. _

_If possible, try not to injure, maim, curse or kill me or whatever our project may be in Herbology today. _

_How did you get on with that book by the way? I researched and I believe the word Dummy definitely applies to you more than it does for me._

Avery shook her head and her eyes flew to Draco Malfoy who sat smirking in her direction, she gestured at him incredulously and pulled her quill from her bag.

_Malfoy_, she wrote, _shut up. See you in Herbology. (The lesson we __**both**__ failed) _

She sent the letter back with a grin and watched carefully as Malfoy read through it and scoffed a laugh. Glancing at the letter again she felt almost fond towards the Slytherin, and struggled to reconcile the laughing boy she sat beside in Herbology and who sent her amusing letters and guidebooks, who mocked her in the tower and called her fond names with the sneering Slytherin she had known throughout her years here, who showed nothing but animosity towards her and her friends and skulked around in dark halls and whom Harry believed to have cursed an innocent girl with a curse meant for their headmaster. It was like Draco Malfoy was two different people, the one everyone knew and the one she saw, and she had no idea which was the real one.

…

**A/N -Colovaria is apparently the spell for changing ones hair colour or style so says Harry potter wiki spell list!. Avery says Colovara cause she's wrong, she' not exactly one to care about pointless charms like that! **

**A/N- I have a new fic out! it's a walking dead Daryl/OC fic Check it out if you're a fan! Lots of love! X**

**What do you think?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	24. Something right for once

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 24- Something right… for once.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I know you guys want more A/D interaction but its getting there, bear with me! it's a slow burner they hated each other for years! Aha! Much love poppets!**

**Also another note- please remember I'm rewriting!**

**-….-**

"Alihotsy!" Professor Sprout cried, split seconds after Avery had taken her seat in the greenhouse, "Also known as the- Barker?"

"Hyena Tree." A Ravenclaw who excelled in the lesson answered, Avery pulled her text book from her bag and set it quietly on the table, eyes scanning the large pot sat on the table before herself and Malfoy, a tall spindly tree was planted deep in the soil, sharp purple leaves jutting out from the stem like trunk rather than individual branches. It looked dangerous, like most of the herbs and plants used in NEWT level Herbology.

"Yes, the Hyena Tree, a non sentient plant that no one here will have handled before. This grows in abundance in the Forbidden Forest, in which I'm sure none of you have been."

Avery couldn't remember noticing this plant before on one of her excursions to the forest.

"I want you to look through your books and find out the effect this tree has on you if your skin comes into contact with it's leaves. The first to find out with twenty points for their respective houses. Off you go."

Avery moved to open her book, elbow brushing against Malfoy's as she did so. She tensed, and glanced to the side, though the blonde resolutely ignored her.

Lexi and Amanda sat heads close together working as a team to win the points for Hufflepuff. A strong thigh pushed hard against her own "Malfoy." Avery hissed, "Malfoy."

The blonde resolutely ignored her, studying his book intently. "Malfoy!" She said loud enough for the Hufflepuffs in front to glance up from their work. She smiled, awkwardly. "Get off of me." She growled.

The leg remained where it was and Avery sighed, "Malf-"

"Yes Mr Rowan?"

"When touched the leaves induce hysteria."

"Correct Mr Rowan, Twenty points to Ravenclaw." Professor Sprout beamed.

Avery breathed deeply, ignoring the waft of vanilla as Mafoy shifted in his seat.

"The antidote for the hysteria comes from the treacle of a grumbumble." Professor Sprout explained, "However, there is a specific spell that takes the magic away from the Hyena tree and makes the leaves unable to affect you. I want you to find that."

"I want you to search for, use then test a spell until you find the correct one." Avery felt her eyebrows crawl higher over her face, _How would they test them? _

"Professor?" Lexi asked, "Are you asking us to touch the hysteria inducing leaves?"

"Of course I am, the leaves have been reduced in potency to their lowest level so the effects should wear off after a few seconds each time. It is important that you work hard to find this charm as a question built around this will more than likely appear in your NEWTS." The professor explained, Avery struggled to pay attention, the solid weight of Draco Malfoys leg against her own, distracting, she wasn't sure she had ever been this close to him, not before the last day of term anyway, where he had _kissed_ her, "If you do not find it in this lesson I expect all of you to come back in your free time to find the answer and have it by next lesson. Am I clear?"

After the class had nodded the affirmative they were told to begin. Professor Sprout magicked each pot towards each pair of students. Malfoy made no move to touch either the tree or the book. Avery scooted her stool back, a loud scraping noise against the floor, her newly freed leg felt cold where the air touched it.

She glanced through the index of her text book frowning.

"Avery?" Amanda asked, "Do you have any idea what to do?"

Avery shook her head and glanced around the room at other pairs who were shouting whatever spells they could think of, touching a leaf and giggling for a few seconds before sobering and trying another spell.

"That I guess." she replied.

"Fianto Duri" Avery said, pointing her wand towards a purple leaf, she shrugged and touched a finger tip to the leaf, immediately breaking into giggles. "Its not that sheild charm then." She mumbled aloud.

She pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote the spell down so she would not use it over and over.

"Duro." She said, watching happily as a purple leaf slowly turned to stone, she touched it and immediately laughed again. Once she had shaken herself out of it she wondered aloud how with reduced potency the leaf could still work through solid stone. "Are you going to do anything?" She asked, her face itching at the feel of eye watching.

"I wasn't planning on it." Came the reply. Avery swallowed, "I'm having far too much fun watching you do it Red."

"I've not got red hair anymore Malfoy." She sighed, writing down the second failed spell.

"Protego." was the only response she received as the blonde shot another shield charm towards another purple leaf. He looked towards Avery expectantly who shrugged and murmured, "It was your spell."

The Sytherin sighed and touched a finger delicately to the leaf, suddenly to Avery's surprise his whole face transformed. Avery wasn't sure she had ever seen Draco Malfoy smile, and she stared open mouthed, perhaps she had seen a small smile in the tower but nothing like this. His laugh was, nice, something she wouldn't have associated with him. She had only heard his cackle before after all, the one he used when insulting someone or laughing at someone elses expense. Here and now he was almost likeable.

"Greenwood, you're staring." His voice broke through her thoughts.

"Sorry, zoned out." she said.

"Of course." He smirked, "Protego didn't work." She nodded and added the spell to the list.

"Immobulus." Avery tried as a shot in the dark, expecting the bout of laughter that shook her after, it was as if touching the leaf made all her troubles disappear, it felt light and fluffy and all things that life hadn't been for a while. She perhaps she could see the same thoughts on Draco's face when he was affected too. Maybe everyone's.

After half an hour Avery's cheeks felt wet with tears of laughter and her throat hoarse. Malfoy's face was tinted a flushed red and a small smile tugged at his lips every few seconds.

"This really isn't working." Malfoy giggled, _giggled_, under his hand.

Avery shook her head in agreement laughing, it seemed even Professor Sprout was enjoying herself and no body in class had yet found the answer. Her list was growing longer and Avery was beginning to wonder if this wasn't all some trick and there was actually no way to stop the leaves working their magics.

Avery snorted as Malfoy doused the tree in water which did nothing. She added the spell to the list with shaking hand and dried the tree off herself.

"You've made everything dirty." She grumbled, "There's dirt everywhere. Scourgify." The table cleaned itself, the pot and the tree potted inside it.

She poked at a leaf on the tree and grumbled, "This is never going to happen."

"Red," Malfoy said, "You're not laughing."

Avery raised her eyebrows, noticing that she had in fact come into contact with a leaf and was not laughing. "I did it? I did it!" She laughed and threw an untouched leaf at Malfoy's face which caused him to roll his eyes.

"Well done Greenwood, Malfoy. Please keep the spell to yourself and you may leave." Professor Sprout said proudly. Avery gawped, but moved quickly, taking advantage of the professors good mood.

The Slytherin followed closely behind as Avery stumbled through the greenhouse, noticing that only one other group seemed to have found the answer so far. "That was amazing!" Avery gasped as they burst through the door onto the and the frigid air, "I cant believe we did it! You made it dirty and I cleaned it!" She grabbed at the Slytherin's jacket lapels grinning, "A bloody Scourgify Malfoy! Who would have thought? I've never gotten anything right in Herbology!"

"Yes, we did it Red." Malfoy murmured, lithe hands rising to cover her own where they gripped his clothing. Avery blinked, and pulled her hands away roughly, she cleared her throat making distance between them.

"I have to go." She mumbled, hoisting her bag onto her shoulder, "Malfoy let go of me." A hand tightened around her wrist. No one spoke for a few seconds before Avery groaned frustratedly, "Let go. Stop being so weird, with your leg and the nickname and- you kissed me Malfoy!"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, "Ginny saw Malfoy! Do you have any idea what she thought? Let go."

"You kissed me back, Red." He said letting go. Avery shook her head, no, "You were. You would've if not for the Weaslette turning up."

"Not again." Avery said.

She turned away and stormed towards the castle. "And stop touching me!" she called behind her, ignoring the responding snort.

…

**All herbology info taken from Harry Potter WIKI except the description, that's mine cause I couldn't find one anywhere and the bit about the charm, as far as I know this isn't a canonical thing- but then again neither is Draco Malfoy taking Herbology with a Gryfindor he may or may not end up with in the end =]**

**All spells from Wiki too! **

**A/N- I have a new fic out! it's a walking dead Daryl/OC fic Check it out if you're a fan! Lots of love! X**

**What do you think?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	25. A new person

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 25- A new person**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**I'm on a roll guys! You're reviews are really spurring me on at the moment! Thankyou! Really hope you are enjoying it! Let me know! **

**I know you guys want more A/D interaction but its getting there, bear with me! it's a slow burner they hated each other for years after all! Aha! Much love poppets!**

**Also another note- please remember there will be canon divulgence - other wise Avery wouldn't exist! **

**-….-**

"A Scourgify!" Neville cried, uncharacteristically angry as he dropped onto the bench next to Avery in the dinner hall, "The answer was Scourgify!"

"Hi Neville!" Avery grinned around a mouthful of bread, "Where could you possibly have been all this time?"

"Very funny," the boy laughed, a smile tugging at his lips, "How did you work it out so quickly?"

"Yes." Hermione said, perking up, turning away from where she was watching Lavender stroke Ron's arm, "How did you work out the answer so quickly? Your lesson hadn't even finished before you left."

"Because I'm brilliant." she stated. At the blank looks she received in response she sighed, "Good, old fashioned teamwork." she amended.

"With Malfoy?" Harry snorted.

"Yes."

"You. Working with Malfoy? And no one was maimed or cursed?"

"Yes Harry. I worked with Malfoy and no one was hurt." Avery grumbled.

"I would kill the ferret if I had to work with him." Ron joined the conversation, mouth full.

"I'd kill you for working with him Ron!" Harry laughed.

"He's not so bad." Avery blurted. Her eyes widened as her friends gaped at her.

"Are you crazy?" Ron cried "He's terrible!" Avery lowered her eyes as Ron began a loud mouthed tirade on the many evils of Draco Malfoy, probably loud enough for the subject to hear at his own table.

"Ron!" Avery interrupted, "If you let me finish, I was going to say that he's not so bad at Herbology." she lied, "We both just need a push then we can work it out."

"Right." Ron said, placated as Lavender soothed him loudly with disgusting baby noises, Harry nodded and returned to his own food.

Avery sniffed and met the hazel eyes of Ginny who was looking at her with a comforting smile on her face. Avery blinked and shrugged. She cleared her throat, "I have to go to the library tonight. Does anyone else want to come?"

"Can't I'm afraid, I'm seeing Dean." Ginny said.

Ron and Harry both shook their heads, the thought of the library and _homework _just awful to them.

"I have Head of house duties tonight." Hermione sighed, "You know I would have otherwise."

Avery nodded, "No worries guys. I'm going to head up there now, get a seat." She waved goodbye to her friends and made her way down the hall.

"Hey Greenwood!" She heard Pansy Parkinson's voice call, "You're looking a little pale, where'd the ginger go?"

Avery narrowed her eyes at the girl avoiding Malfoy's tired stare from where he sat beside her. "I just wanted to be more like you Pansy! You're such an inspiration to me."

"Really?" The dumb girl preened.

"No!" Avery threw behind her, as she passed by a group of fourth year Hufflepuffs and stepped into the hall. The library was empty when she arrived and she moved towards the back, seating herself near a window.

"The Elixir to induce Euphoria." Avery mumbled to herself as she removed her Potions text book and parchment and quill from her bag. Avery didn't mind the library, she didn't exactly like the place but found that it was much easier to complete homework in the relative quiet of the place on weekday evenings. Weekends, the library was often packed, and unless you arrived early there were no spaces to work, usually filled by kids who had left their homework to the last minute. Tonight though she was completely alone.

She opened her potions text book to find the ingredients needed for the potion, speaking them aloud as she wrote them down, " Mint Sprigs… Wormwood…

Shrivelfig," she dipped her ink again, "Porcupine Quills…Castor beans-"

"Elixir to induce Euphoria?" A voice asked, causing Avery to jump, narrowly avoiding spilling her ink.

"Bloody hell Malfoy!" she shouted, earning a harsh hushing sound from Madam Pince.

"Didn't mean to scare you." He smirked.

"Yes you did." Avery grumbled in reply.

"Well-" Malfoy conceded.

"What are you doing here?" Avery asked as the Slytherin took the seat opposite.

"Homework."

"And there's nowhere else you could be sitting?" Avery shook her head.

"We've done homework together before Greenwood." Malfoy said, pulling his own Potions work from his bag. Avery noticed he was slouching wrinkling his jacket and shirt, something she had only ever seen him do when they were alone. Malfoy was _relaxed_ around _her_. He wasn't tense.

"Yes, Herbology, in which we're partners." She said, digesting the news. The blonde ignored her and began reading through his own textbook. She sighed and moved back to her own. They worked for a while in comfortable quiet, only broken by the occasional shuffle of parchment and the scratch of quill, "The Elixir to induce Euphoria is a potion that creates a sense of inexplicable, irrational happiness in the drinker." Avery mumbled gently as she wrote, something she was prone to doing, "If brewed correctly the potion will be-" she put her quill down and shuffled through her text book frowning.

"Yellow." Malfoy said, "It'll be sunshine yellow."

Avery picked up her quill, "I forgot how good you were at potions."

"I'm not top of the class for nothing." he replied.

"We always thought it was because Snape is your house head and Godfather." Avery said. Malfoy shook his head with a sigh.

"What will it smell like?" Avery asked, "Is it like the love potion? Does it change to attract the drinker?"

"It doesn't smell of anything specifically," Malfoy replied, "Just sweet, aromatic, attractive in a general way, nothing specific."

Avery nodded, jotted down the information, "Thanks. Are you going to work with potions when you leave here?" Avery asked, taking advantage of this new sense of camaraderie. "Hogwarts I mean."

Malfoy shrugged, "Maybe."

"You could teach." Avery said, "You know a lot and you're good at it. Or a potions master, healing potions or something?"

Malfoy shrugged again, eyeing her curiously, "What about you?" he asked after a moment.

It was Avery's turn to shrug then, "I don't know." She said, "I've not really got anything I'm particularly good at. Can't fly that well, average a potions and defence and pretty much everything. I really don't know."

She turned back to her work and added some more information, unsure of the word limit she was to stick to, listing excessive singing and nose tweaking as some of the possible side effects of the potion.

"Astronomy." Malfoy blurted.

"What?"

"I heard you talking once, about Astronomy, you were going on about Europa and Ice and environments."

"Europa is covered in ice." Avery amended.

"Just seemed to excite you. And you're always in the tower."

"I have lessons there." Avery laughed.

"Not when I'm there" came the reply.

"You never did tell me why you go up there." Avery frowned, tilting her head curiously. Malfoy shrugged again, seemingly a natural response when he wouldn't or couldn't answer a question. "In third year," Avery changed the subject, "I dropped my telescope over the edge of the tower."

Malfoy barked a surprised laugh, "How?"

Grinning she continued, "They have stands remember? You can adjust the height with the screw?" Malfoy nodded, "Professor Sinastra has always been more inclined to the muggle ways of Astronomy so made us do all of the adjusting without magic, I couldn't get the screw to tighten and took the telescope off of the stand and left it on the side of the tower." Malfoy nodded for her to continue, surprisingly completely enthralled in her story , "I was tightening the screw and stepped back and elbowed it off the edge. The irony is that when I elbowed it it's because I was celebrating having gotten the stand to stay how I wanted it. I couldn't do the rest of the class but Professor Sinastra was so angry at the disruption that she made me stay in the tower whilst the others worked. It didn't matter to her that I had broken my own property!"

"I didn't realise you were so clumsy." Malfoy murmured.

"I'm sure there's a lot we don't know about each other Malfoy." Avery stated, no longer keeping up the pretence of working.

"Is that why you didn't join the Quidditch team?"

"You were there Malfoy, in the first year flying lessons, I almost killed myself when my broom took off towards the school. I didn't really have anyone at home to teach me to fly." She stated, "Besides, I'm too clumsy, I barely have any balance on the ground. Don't get me wrong, I can fly if need be but I will never be able to do it for sports."

"I didn't know you spoke so much either." Malfoy smiled.

"Not to you." she replied, "I'm usually too busy listening to you insult me and my friends."

"You give as good as you get Greenwood." Malfoy snorted, "Like today, Pansy genuinely thought you looked up to her for style ideas. She wasn't happy when she realised."

"Well, I'm sure you managed to comfort your girlfriend Malfoy!"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Malfoy shouted, affronted. "Eugh."

Avery found herself laughing, ignoring Madam Pince's glare from across the room.

The blonde laughed too, quieter than Avery, as if it was something he didn't do often, which considering his family, friends and school house was probably a correct assumption. Avery studied him, clothes rumpled, posture completely slumped, hair messy and rumpled, cheeks warmed from laughter, eyes shining. It was as if she was looking at a completely new person, at a teenage boy not a Malfoy. At a normal student not a Slytherin with a reputation such as his. He still looked tired, had since the start of the year, more so since returning from Christmas, dark circles ringed his eyes as if her weren't sleeping. Considering the amount of times he had joined Avery in the tower she could probably attest to this. This year though, Malfoy had been different, not necessarily in this moment, this was far too surreal that Avery thought she might just be imagining it, but this whole year, still a prat. Always. He'd been quieter, not quite on his game when it came to insulting and harassing Avery and her friends. He had been nice, to Avery at least, returned her property and corrected her essay when she was sure he would have incinerated it just because he could.

Avery didn't know what to think, on one hand he'd been sneaking around, hugging cupboards in dark alleys with his mother and other suspected death eaters and Harry strongly suspected him of something, but on the other hand he'd been kind, funny and helpful. Avery knew she shouldn't trust him, having followed him herself that day in the alley, having seen the suspicious behaviour with her own eyes she knew something was going on. But there was something, call it gut instinct perhaps, that said there was something more to it, that maybe this Draco Malfoy, the one sat opposite her right now was the real Malfoy, the one she had never been able to see past the sneers and insults and general childish behaviour. This Draco Malfoy she could tolerate, this Draco Malfoy she _liked_.

"See something you like?" Said Malfoy interrupted her thoughts with a smirk.

"What?" she asked, shaking her head to clear it, "No. I was just thinking."

"About apologizing for snapping at me after Herbology?"

She rolled her eyes, "No. I'm not apologising for anything. I asked you to stop touching me."

"You haven't seemed to mind it for the last ten minutes." he indicated the desk, where their hands sat in the middle, his index finger rubbing gently over her pinky. She moved to pull her hand away, but didn't move. "What game are you playing Malfoy?" She asked, "What are you up to?"

"Nothing." He shrugged, finger stilling.

"Then why did you kiss me?"

The blonde smirked, "Because I wanted to."

…

**Right 2.30 am I am sleeeeeeping! **

**Ciao!**

**NOTE: The telescope story is true, my friend and I both have telescopes I couldn't get my stand to move whilst the telescope still rested on it and put it on the table, then celebrating having got it right I knocked mine off the table (not quite a tower) luckily it was okay and only fell onto the joint bench, a few scratches is all. My friend was just thankful I hadn't knocked his! Haha! **

**Potions, ingredients etc from Harry Potter WIKI.**

**A/N- I have a new fic out! it's a walking dead Daryl/OC fic Check it out if you're a fan! Lots of love! X**

**What do you think?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	26. Another step towards you

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 26- Another step towards you.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Over the last few days my life has become a complete shit storm of crap and asshole family members and I literally don't even know what to do at the mo… but yeah, here's this anyways- had a bit to finish at the end so could upload, don't know when the next one will be though so please bear with me. Xx**

**Dear Guest who reviewed on the 26****th****- Thank you very much for telling me what I should do in my fan fiction… really thank you (sarcasm). I mean, just sit there and call my OC a loser and write it for me! By all means!**

**To everyone else thank you for your constructive criticism and responses they are what spur me on, not telling me that I should do this and should do that. Suggestions are good, demands and slagging off not only my OC but canon characters is not… If you have a problem with canon characters take it up with J. .**

**Also another note- please remember there will be canon divulgence - other wise Avery wouldn't exist! **

**-….-**

_Because I wanted to._

Avery stared, mouth agape, "Because you wanted to? That's it?"

"I want to." Malfoy amended, "Not past tense."

"You-?"

"Yes."

Avery sighed, eyes on their touching hands, feeling like the wind had been knocked from her, "I-"

A familiar throat cleared behind them and their hands immediately parted, Avery's gaze found Snape's baleful glare and quickly flicked away.

"I have to go." Draco hissed, eyes following the professor as he perused some aisles, obviously observing the two students in the library.

"Malfoy?" Avery asked as the Slytherin rushed to pack up his things, scrunching up his homework parchment in the process, "What's wrong?"

She received no response but for Malfoy swiftly leaving the library.

She sat for a few moments before gathering her own belongings, carefully placing her homework where she would find it again.

"Whatever it is you're doing Greenwood." Snape's voice stopped her by the exit. "I would stop immediately."

Avery turned towards him, he had given up all pretence of looking at books and now stared at her harshly. "Immediately."

Avery shrugged, "I'm not doing anything."

**-….-**

The common room was warm and inviting when she returned the fire burning brightly. Avery felt an immediate sense of comfort wash over her and smiled. "Hi Ave." Ron called from the most comfortable couch where he sat, Lavender sprawled across the other side, head in his lap. Avery eyed her, "Hi." noticing how the girl tensed when she asked, "Mione not back yet?"

Ron shook his head as Lavender glared, hair spread out over Ron's legs behind her hair band. Avery had always thought it ridiculous that Lavender constantly wore the colour she was named after.

Avery took the seat opposite the couch and sighed as the fires warmth reached her.

"Was the library okay?" Ron asked.

"Brilliant." Avery replied, in faux excitement, "Just wonderful."

Ron laughed, "Good to hear. I-"

"Won?" Lavender whined from his lap, "You should include me in your conversations you know."

Avery raised her eyebrows and shook her head, "Don't worry about it Ron. I'm gonna go and find Hermione, she should be finishing soon." She smiled at Ron's apologetic look as she rose from the seat and resolutely ignored Lavender as she left.

Avery thought Hermione would probably be in the main hall this evening, sometimes the prefects held meetings in there with the first years to check there was no problems, Hermione had mentioned before that she really enjoyed that side of being prefect, she liked helping people- and elves.

"Hi Avery!" A third year Hufflepuff that Avery vaguely recognised called from her group of friends in the hall way. Avery nodded hello, used to the extra attention since the whole ministry affair had reached the papers before their return, swiftly followed by the attack on Ron's home. She, the Weasleys and the others were almost as famous as Harry these days, though nothing could quite match the notoriety of Harry and his lightening scar. The boy who lived.

She ignored the girls attempt at any further conversation or question asking and carried on walking towards the main hall. It took a few minutes and she arrived just as Hermione emerged from the great doors and smiled at her, waving off a first year as she did so. "Hi Hermione." Avery said, "Are you finished?"

"Yes. All done. Did you get your work sorted?" She asked.

"Some." Avery conceded, "Potions."

"Good. Why did you come to meet me?" she asked.

"Lavender." she grumbled in reply, not needing to elaborate any further. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, shoulders slumping. "I thought he would have realised what she's like by now."

"Not yet Herm, not yet." she linked their arms.

"So Harry tells me that Draco Malfoy was in the library with you tonight?" Hermione stated.

"Yeah? He on the Maurauders map again?" Avery laughed.

"You know Harry," Hermione said, eyeing her shrewdly, "So why was Malfoy with you?"

"He was just in there, being Malfoy." Avery answered evasively. "Charming my parchment and generally being a nuisance."

Hermione nodded, still eyeing her. Avery kept her eyes ahead ignored the look as they headed back towards the Gryffindor common room, Avery didn't believe she had done anything wrong, she hadn't invited Malfoy to the library, they hadn't been plotting anything nefarious. She wasn't passing on the rare information that was shared with her to Malfoys father. They weren't even friends. She didn't feel that she would be able to explain it to Hermione or the others though, how recently the sharp feeling of contempt she felt around Malfoy, she had always found it difficult to truly hate someone, except perhaps Voldemort, had faded away to a pang of confusion, of wondering who the blonde boy she had been so sure she knew really was.

They weren't there, they didn't see it and they would absolutely not understand. Avery, lost in her thoughts as she was didn't realise what was happening until Hermione's hand wrapped around her robes and yanked her back. "What's hap-" she began to ask before Hermione's hand slapped across her mouth.

"Shut up!" Hermione hissed, "Look!" Avery followed her friends eye line wincing at the residual sting across her mouth from where Hermione's hand had made contact. She glanced around the wall they hid behind and noticed, of all the people, Malfoy, talking, though she couldn't hear anything, fast and gesturing angrily towards the large greasy shape of Snape. "Can you hear what they're saying?" She asked her bushy haired friend.

Hermione shook her head, "No. They don't look happy though."

Avery watched as Snape loomed above his godson, seemingly much calmer but no less angry than the student. Malfoy, he looked frazzled, skin flushed rage red, arms waving. He was the least composed Avery had ever seen him.

"Oh no!" Hermione hissed as Malfoy stormed off into the opposite direction and Snape turned to head towards their hiding place.

The two girls ran back the way they came, and started walking again, as if they hadn't just been spying just seconds before. "Granger, Greenwood." Snape drawled as he rounded the corner, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing Professor." Hermione answered, voice shaking slightly with adrenaline. Avery suppressed inappropriate laughter hoping they didn't look to harried or guilty.

The proffesor eyed them for a long moment, "Back to your dorms, curfew is near."

"Yessir!" Avery said quickly, stepping around him and dragging Hermione behind her. She breathed deeply trying to stop any laughter echoing back towards the teacher.

"Mione!" She whispered, "He would have known if you hadn't dragged us back there so quickly! You're brilliant! It looked like we hadn't been watching at all!"

Hermione laughed, "I miss the days when all this sneaking around was fun!" Avery exclaimed.

"Me too Ave." Hermione said, still smiling but sounding more solemn than before. "Me too."

**-….-**

"Dragon!" Avery hissed at her cat as he pranced along the Astronomy towers ledge, "If you fall… Well lets hope you land on your feet because I don't have my wand!"

Her cat flopped onto its butt and purred contentedly. "You wont survive that fall, nine lives or not. Even if I had my wand I'd probably mess up the levitation spell in my panic anyway. For someone whose been on so many 'adventures' as the Prophet called them, I'm pretty useless." Avery shrugged. "I can't even produce a Patronus you know Dragon. Harry taught everyone in fifth year, in the DA. Neville managed one, even with the terrible things that happened to him."

Dragon gave no response, not that she had expected any. "Harry said I wasn't thinking of a happy enough memory." She said. She turned around and barely jumped at the sight of the blonde Slytherin walking out onto the tower.

"No snaky comment on how I'm talking to my cat?" she asked.

Draco didn't speak , just moved to lean across the ledge where Dragon sat, alert at the newcomer.

"I wouldn't get so close, he's not good with people he doesn't know very well. Malfoy-" Avery's words trailed off as Dragon nuzzled his furry face into Malfoys stretched out palm. "Okay then." Avery sighed, feeling a little betrayed on behalf of her friends, Dragon had scratched at Hermione only a few days ago.

It made sense though, that he would like Draco Malfoy, she'd always believed her cat was a Slytherin at heart.

Avery told Draco as much but once again received no response. The blonde did however, wrap a gentle arm around her cats midsection and lift him into his arms. Avery raised an eyebrow when Dragon barely moved but to snuggle closer to Malfoy's chest. Avery moved to lean against the ledge beside him, "His names Dragon." she told Malfoy, "You're good with him."

"Dragon." Malfoy repeated, the first word she'd heard him say since his arrival. She nodded and watched as the Slytherin stroked gently down her cats flank. His pale skin a stark contrast to the midnight black fur. Her eyes flicked to his face, he looked tired, drawn, a little sad and a whole lot scared, she thought he might be on the verge of tears and his voice sounded thick and watery when he next spoke, "My name means Dragon."

"Oh yeah." Avery chuckled still watching him closely.

She raised a hand towards Dragon to stroke him and was shocked when Draco flinched back as if she had moved to curse him. He recovered himself quickly though and had she not been looking so closely she may not have even seen it.

"Malfoy… What's wrong?" The blonde ignored her, "Malfoy. What's scaring you? What are you afraid of?"

Wide blue eyes met hers, "Nothing."

"Malfoy-"

"Just don't ask me Avery." he snapped, harshly. Avery stepped back. She breathed deeply, wanting to continue, to dig deeper. However she found herself too shocked to find that Draco had just used her first name. There must be something wrong for him to have done so. She nearly missed him whisper, "Please don't ask me that."

She raised a hand again, slower this time, knowing how jumpy he was, instead of her cat though her hand found his shoulder, moving by instinct, by some basic want she stepped closer, "Okay." she whispered, "I'm sorry." His eyes met hers and they looked wet, like he would cry any second.

She smiled reassuringly. Leaned forward and kissed him.

…

**Potions, ingredients, spells etc from Harry Potter WIKI.**

**A/N- I have a new fic out! it's a walking dead Daryl/OC fic Check it out if you're a fan! Lots of love! X**

**What do you think?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	27. Anteoculatia

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 27-**** Anteoculatia**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**To Chocolatsugar your review actually terrified me as I had already written the events in the first half of this chapter then saw your comment about Averys magic ability. Scary stuff! **

**Hope everyone enjoys!**

**Please remember there will be canon divulgence - other wise Avery wouldn't **

**exist! **

**DUDES! I WENT TO THE HARRY POTTER WARNER BROS STUDIOS TOUR THING YESTERDAY! THAT SHIT WAS EPIC AND I WAS LIKE MUST WRITE!**

**-….-**

"I've no doubt," Professor Snape's voice washed over the students, "that once again this will be a pointless exercise as half of you here still will not grasp the difficult nature and delicate art of non verbal spells. However, the curriculum says that we must try."

Avery rolled her eyes where she stood beside Harry, whom she had been paired up with this lesson. Non verbal spells were ridiculously hard. Avery had always excelled in defence, except for the patronus, she had always been rather good at potions too which was a delicate art in itself. Non verbal spells though were something she found that she wasn't so good at. It required a lot of concentration, more so than potions and astronomy in which they could often stand for hours and not see what they searched for. It required more concentration than Herbology for which it was common knowledge that she was terrible. Avery hadn't really ever had a lot of concentration finding herself fidgety and bored after long amounts of time doing nothing. Something that had annoyed her mother to no end during her child hood.

"I've partnered you with other people, hopefully to avoid any situations of the likes of last lesson." Avery felt heat bloom over her cheeks, Harry chuckled beside her and she smacked her hand against his arm.

"Shut up." she mumbled.

"It's not so bad Ave." Harry laughed, "Everyone has mostly forgotten about it by now."

"Until Snape reminded everyone." she grumbled.

"Remember, concentration is key. Get on with it." Snape continued.

"Maybe you'll end up in the hospital wing this time Greenwood." Draco Malfoy mumbled as he trailed past her, a hand brushing gently across the small of her back. Avery schooled her features into a frown as Harry glared at the blonde, though she really wanted to laugh with him. It had been funny after all. They'd even laughed about it last night.

Her cheeks flamed at the thought. She didn't know why she had kissed him the night before, only that it had felt completely right and still did now. Only that she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the first time he'd kissed her before Christmas break, whether she would have admitted it or not. And she wouldn't ever.

He'd been more surprised than her actually. When she'd pulled back, Dragon still squashed between them, his eyes had been wider than any saucer she'd seen, though there had been no more signs of tears.

She has opened her mouth to say something, maybe apologise and she had been poised to run, only Dragon had dropped to the floor and his hands had found her face and they were kissing again. His lips warm and _so soft _against hers. It should have felt wrong, she should have been disgusted even, this was Malfoy for Merlin's sake! It didn't matter then she's seen a new side of him he was still Malfoy. Instead, she had felt relaxed, _right_, like she had meant to be doing this all along. Like all the years had been wasted on animosity and anger when they could have been doing this the whole time! She'd been enveloped in the smell of vanilla and taste of his mouth and it had been incredible.

They'd spent the rest of the evening trading kisses, bantering back and forth as was their way until they'd separated around midnight without so much as a goodbye but a shared smile.

Avery had found her mood souring as she moved further from the tower and closer to the Gryffindor common room, as if the bubble she and Malfoy had occupied just minutes ago was slowly dissipating and the real world was returning. By the time she had changed and gotten into bed she had almost convinced herself that it hadn't happened at all, sure that when they returned to lessons the next day everything would go back to how it was before.

It had, sort of, there hadn't been any badly timed blushing or furtive glances across the crowded hall. They hadn't pulled each other into hidden passageways to kiss each other senseless, in fact she had only seen Malfoy when she was meant to; in class.

There were things though, tiny things, a gentler quirk of the lips as he passed by with a snide remark for Harry, the soft brush of his arm against hers as he passed her in the Great hall and just now, in Snape's late hour class, a brush of his hand against the small of her back even as he insulted her. Difference and familiarity.

"Ave!" Harry called, "You in there?"

"Yes." she smiled, "Come on then, give it to me."

"Snape said you have to shoot at me, it's probably safer if I try and block." he laughed.

"Funny Harry." she deadpanned, taking her stance, "Really hilarious."

She raised her wand and breathed deeply, thoughts immediately leaving Malfoy and the night before.

She could do this, she was a capable witch, strong when needed, she could concentrate enough and prove Snape wrong. Show him that she was capable, not that she needed or really wanted his approval in any other form than a DADA passing grade for her OWLS.

_Anteoculatia_, she thought, pushing as much force behind the word as she could manage, the hex to turn someone's hair to antlers the first thing that came to mind. The hex itself wasn't too difficult.

_Anteoculatia... Anteoculatia... Anteoculatia... Anteoculatia_

_Anteoculatia..._

"Merlin's beard Ave! My hair!" Harry cried as the dark upon his head began to twist and morph into antlers, large a three pronged, a stag like his patronus and black as his hair.

Avery smiled, "I knew I could do it."

Her eyes met blue across the room, an approving nod. Avery grinned. "Your turn." she laughed even as the hex melted away returning Harry to his former, messy self.

**...**

"So no one got injured." Malfoy said, as he moved into step beside her, where she walked through the hallway, "That's a first for you."

She grinned, "I gave Harry antlers, I am on top of the world and nothing you can say can bring me down."

"How about well done?" Draco asked.

"Well that worked." Avery snorted, "What do you want? Are you going to hex me?"

"Meet me again tonight?"

"Like a planned meeting?" She asked, feeling his thin fingers brush against hers softly.

The blonde nodded and she smiled, "Okay. See you tonight."

"You will indeed Greenwood." Malfoy said louder, pulling his hand away as Hermione turned around from ahead where she spoke to Harry and expertly avoided Ron at the same time.

"What was that?" Hermione asked, as the Slytherin stalked ahead.

"What?" Avery asked, "What was what?"

"That." she frowned, "With Malfoy?"

"He was just being himself, Hermione. Undermining what I did in there." Avery explained, ignoring the small pang of guilt she felt at lying to her best friend. It seemed enough to appease her though, as she cried, "You were brilliant Ave! Harry looked so funny!"

"I knew I could do it. I just need to work on the blocking."

"Hopefully we'll never have to use it in real life." Hermione said, with a smile, "But it's probably wise to learn yes."

"I've got this 'Mione."

**...**

She snuck from the common room earlier that night, robes wrapped tightly around her uniform she hadn't had time to change from, Hermione and the others had gone to bed early so she hadn't received more than a few first and second year looks as she left, from those not used to her and her friends nightly escapades.

The halls were ice cold as she walked quietly, constantly aware of the patrolling prefects and teachers.

She encountered no problems though and made it to the tower to find Malfoy already there, leaning in his usual spot, staring out across the grounds.

"Fancy seeing you here." Avery spoke, laughing a little at his small jolt as he jumped at her presence.

"Are you following me, Greenwood?"

"Apparently so."

"You did good today." Draco smiled gently, so completely opposite to the boy she had known all these years.

"Thanks. You did too, nearly knocked Blaise for six. Bit of a mean spell." she spoke as she joined him against the ledge.

"I'm fairly certain he was trying to make me loose my hair or something when it was his turn. It was revenge really." he explained.

"Brilliant of you. Really." she mocked.

"Hmmmm." The Slytherin hummed, a hand finding her waist and pulling her closer, breath brushing across her lips.

"So this is a thing?" Avery asked, gesturing the short space between them.

"If kissing you is a thing then yes." He replied, voice seductive.

Avery breathed deeply, "You smell like vanilla." she murmured against the pale column of his throat.

"Shut up, Avery," he whispered, before he kissed her.

…

**I had to end it there, went completely blank and needed to move on!**

**Potions, ingredients, spells etc from Harry Potter WIKI.**

**A/N- I have a new fic out! it's a walking dead Daryl/OC fic Check it out if you're a fan! Lots of love! X**

**What do you think?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	28. Hospital Wing

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 28- The hospital wing.**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry guys! I have no excuse, I really don't. I hope you're all still with me!**

**-….-**

The days continued in a similar way for Avery, class during the day and covert meetings with Draco at night. Mostly they talked, about their past, their hobbies, nothing too deep and not since that night in the library had they spoken about their futures. Draco was secretive, more than usual and it seemed every day that the circles around his eyes got darker and his skin paler. Avery didn't ask him though, she knew it wouldn't be welcome. She spent her evenings with him in the tower, a new normalcy for the two of them, time away from their lives, whatever was happening in them at the time.

"Avery?" Hermione said from her bed, "Are you ready?"

"No." Avery groaned, from where she sat on her own bed in her dress, "Do we have to go?"

"It's supposed to be an honor to be in the slug club." Hermione berated her though Avery could see that Hermione was secretly unhappy with their current engagement too.

"No. He chose famous people and smart people and is putting them all in a room together. I'm there because of my mother. That's not an honor Hermione. It's a bloody embarrassment."

"It'll be fun." Hermione said doubtfully.

"No. It wont be." Avery said, standing, wobbling a little in her heels and smoothing down the front of her dress, "Do I look alright? I can't remember the last time I wore this much make up."

"You look lovely, Ave."

"So do you Hermione, really stunning." Avery replied, taking in Hermione and her cream dress, "Lets go."

They slowly made their way toward Slughorn's rooms, ignoring the odd looks they received from those unaware or not invited to the Slug club, Avery could imagine they looked rather strange.

They could already hear the music and chatter from inside Slughorns rooms as they reached the corridor, and Avery had to hold back a grimace as she took in the rooms before her. Gold, everything was gold. Gold drapery hung from the ceiling, gold cloths adorned the tables. Avery wasn't certain but it seemed even the food and drink were gold themed. "This is tacky." She mumbled earning a nudge from Hermione.

"Ah, Miss Granger! Miss Greenwood." Professor Slughorn cried as they stepped closer into the room, "Do come with me!" The professor lead the girls towards the centre of the room where they posed awkwardly for a photo, Slughorns arm slung carelessly over their shoulders.

"Thank you girls, do have a look around, enjoy yourselves!"

"Thank you sir." The girls replied politely.

"Mione." Avery whispered as they moved into the room. "Don't look now but I think Cormack is here. I think he knows you're here too."

"What?" Hermione hissed, "He is?"

Avery nodded, noticing the slimy boy moving towards them. "You should go." she told her friend, Hermione scuttled the other way and Avery stepped to the side slightly, "McLagan! Hi." she smiled.

"Hi Avery." Cormack frowned, staring behind her, "I was just looking for-"

"Hermione? She's not here."

"I just saw her."

"Nope. No you didn't. Oh Neville!" Avery sidestepped the boy and moved towards her fellow house mate who wore an odd looking white jacket, "You're a waiter?"

"Yeah, It was the only way I could get in here."

"Really?" Avery frowned, "Well, I think you're more deserving than most of the people here. Me included."

"Thanks Ave, but I should get going. Got to hand out these drinks, do you want one by the way?"

Avery took a drink from the tray and smiled as her friend moved towards another group of people offering drinks. "Harry my boy!" She heard Slughorn speak, followed by the flash of a camera.

"It's crazy in here isn't it." Avery spoke, walking up beside Harry, "Very Gryffindor."

"Hi Ave," Harry smiled tugging at his robes, "Have you been here long?"

"No." Avery laughed, "We just got here, Hermione is avoiding Cormack. I told her she shouldn't have asked him."

"Hermione asked Cormack?" Harry gasped.

"She thought it might upset Ron, I guess." Avery laughed, "She's over there. Hiding."

Harry grinned as he and Avery moved behind the sheer curtain that Hermione had hidden behind, "Hello Mione" Harry greeted. Hermione stood leaning against the wall lamenting the fact that she had invited Cormack to the party.

"I can barely face him," she said, "He's so- ugh!"

"Dragon Tartar?" A waiter asked, joining them behind the curtain.

"No thanks." Avery said, wrinkling her nose at the smell.

"I'm fine thanks" Hermione answered the same, whilst Harry shook his head no.

"Just as well, they give you horrible breath."

"On second thoughts," Hermione said, snatching the tray, "It might keep Cormack at bay!"

"Not likely." Avery laughed as Hermione shoveled a couple into her mouth, "He's keen."

"Oh God, here he comes." She said around her mouthful, "I've got to go." She ducked out of the curtain right as Cormack stepped in the other side, making Harry and Avery shuffle to the right. Avery nodded at him, smiling awkwardly.

"She just went that way." Harry said.

"I've been looking for the little minx all night," the other boy said, taking the tray from Harry. Avery watched in horror as he too shoveled some of the disgusting food into his mouth. "What am I eating?" he asked.

Avery hesitated and Harry replied, "Dragon balls."

Avery couldn't have timed it better herself. She stepped around Harry to his other side just as Snape yanked open the curtain and Cormack emptied the contents of his stomach over the professors shoes. Avery choked on a bark of laughter as the professor stared stoically at the student. "You have just earned yourself a month of detention, McLagan."

Avery yanked on Harrys' hand as she slipped from behind the curtain, just as her friend began to follow they were stopped by Snape's voice. "Not so fast, Potter."

"Professor?" Harry asked, Avery stopped behind him.

"Detention for you too, Potter, I have no doubt you had something to do with that back there."

"Nothing sir I-" Harry began to argue only to be interrupted by the door slamming open. Avery was dismayed to see it reveal Filch, dragging a clearly unhappy Malfoy behind him.

"Professor Slughorn," Filch growled, ignoring Malfoy's less than savory insults towards his squib status, "I caught this boy lurking around in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party."

Avery met Malfoy's eyes as he replied, "Okay, okay! I was gate crashing."

Avery didn't believe him for a moment, she knew him well enough now to know when he was lying and she herself had heard him talk of how pathetic he found Slughorn's little club.

"Happy now?" He spat, "Let go of me."

Avery saw Snape take a step forward, clearly intending to take the boy out of the room, however Professor Slughorn stepped forward and smiled, "Let the boy stay. I can understand why he would want to be here."

"Well I don't want to now!" Malfoy shouted, pulling his jacket from Filch's slackened grip. "I'm not a charity case!"

The blonde turned and stalked out of the room, leaving the murmuring students behind him, "Leave the boy be Professor" she heard Slughorn speak to Snape, "I invited you here because I wanted to show you something, something quite incredible."

Avery took the opportunity of distraction of both the professors and the students who had shrugged off the event and returned to the party at Professor Slughorn's urging, to slip out of the room. She knew her heels would echo in the hallway behind Malfoy who she could see just ahead so didn't bother to try and remain quiet.

"Malfoy!" she called to the figure ahead.

She hadn't expected any response and did not receive one. Avery began to jog forward her heels clicking loudly against the concrete floor, "Malfoy!" She shivered as the cool air in the hall hit her bare legs and arms, "Wait."

The Slytherin continued to keep walking as Avery moved closer.

"Bloody hell, Draco! Stop!" she cried as she moved closer to him and grabbed the back of his jacket. "Stop."

"Get of me, Greenwood."

"What is happening?" Avery asked, pushing him roughly against the wall, jacket scrunched in her hands, "What in Merlin's name are you doing?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said and I'm not listening!" she cried, "What is happening? Draco- Whatever it is you're doing, you almost got caught tonight. Do you know how much trouble you could have been in?" She paused, searching his face for any clue or sign.

"Draco, whatever you're doing. You need to be more careful."

Malfoy frowned, hesitted "You're not going to tell me to stop?"

"You won't." Avery smiled sadly.

"No. I won't." he replied, removing her hands from his lapels, "And you should leave me alone, Avery."

"I won't." she replied without hesitation. "I think you need me."

Icy eyes found hers again as a pale hand raised to the side of her neck, under her dark hair, "You look beautiful." came Draco's unsubtle subject change, "Too bad you only dressed up like this for that stupid Slug club."

Avery laughed, "I knew you weren't gate crashing." Her hand found his, "I won't ask you Malfoy. I won't. Just be careful."

"For you, Greenwood." Draco grinned, pulling her closer. She hesitated only slightly, torn between her mind and her body, in her head she knew that he was up to something and she should probably be weary, she also knew that what she was doing was a betrayal to her friends, though she had never and would never divulge any information to Draco or anyone outside of their group she still secretly met with someone that her friends hated, that Harry called 'enemy'. She still kissed him. She still lied to Hermione when her friend asked her about her whereabouts on the nights that she noticed Avery's absence.

But, Avery also knew how much she _wanted_ him. How different he was, how pleasant and witty and intelligent. How soft his lips were against hers, how the calluses on his hands scraped against her skin. She knew how he tasted, how his cheeks flushed slightly when they kissed, how his lips quirked into a smile when they pulled apart.

"Did you dance with anyone in there?" Draco asked quietly, stepping forward and twisting her around slowly, pressing her into his vacated space against the wall. Avery felt the mood lighten instantly.

"No." Avery grinned, "I hadn't been there long. Why? Are you jealous?"

"I'm not jealous, Greenwood." Malfoy growled, nose pressed against her hair, "Not at all."

Avery laughed as his breath washed against her cheekbone, "I don't believe you."

Draco hummed, lips pressing against her own, tongue immediately invading her mouth.

Avery had been surprised at first, at how confidently Draco kissed, like every other part

him he was straight forward and unhesitant and bold. And _refined. _Draco wasn't Avery's first kiss, but she had always expected this type of kissing, passionate and _with tongue_ to be quite messy, but with Draco it was anything but, or if it was she was too distracted to notice.

His hands squeezed tightly where they were placed, neck and waist and he moved away for air periodically, breathing heavily. The wall pressed coldly against her exposed shoulders and through the thin fabric of her dress but Draco was scorching hot where he was pressed up against her front. Draco laughed, a light breezy sound that she didn't often hear. "Much more fun than your little Slug club."

Avery opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by echoing foot steps, not trying to remain hidden. "That'll be Snape." Malfoy murmured, "You should probably go."

Avery nodded, heart leaping in her chest as the footsteps drew closer. She stepped back and smiled as she wiped a trace of lip stick from the side of Draco's mouth. "Be careful." she whispered.

Avery moved quickly into the alcove behind them and watched Malfoy, cleverly move further up the hall, so as to allow Snape to pass her. The Slytherin head swept past her hiding place with a swish of his cloak, a face like thunder. Avery shivered at the thought of his obvious wrath being aimed at her.

She couldn't hear anything from where she stood and without Harry's cloak she wouldn't be able to get any closer without being seen so she decided to move back towards the party before anybody noticed that she was gone.

As she moved to step forward however she noticed another figure in formal robes moving close to the wall the other side of the corridor. Harry. Harry being perpetually curious and paranoid had obviously followed Draco as soon as he was able to escape. Avery knew he hadn't seen her with him though because he would not have been quiet about that discovery. She didn't blame her friend of course. He hadn't survived this long without the help of the errant paranoia as it turned out that many people they trusted turned out to be the enemy. She kept herself pulled tightly against the wall until Harry had passed her and quickly made her way back to the party. She'd find Hermione and pretend that none of this had happened.

…

"Miss Greewood." The professor called from the front of the class, breaking Avery from her daze, "You are wanted in the hospital wing. Take your belongings with you."

Avery frowned, but wasted no time in unceremoniously shoving her belongings into her bag before rushing from the room. There was never a good reason to be called to the medical wing, especially not when you were friends with Harry Potter.

Avery ran down the hall, ignoring a scandalized rebuke from a passing professor.

She made it to the hospital wing in no time, bursting through the door in a flurry of limbs, "What's wrong?" she called as she stepped into room, empty except for her immediate friendship circle. "I was in class."

"It happened last night." Hermione said bitterly from one side of the bed, "We just weren't informed until this morning.

Avery drew a deep breath pausing to take in the scene before her, Ginny and Hermione sat one each side of the hospital bed, both grasping one of Ron's hands. The boy looked pale but otherwise uninjured on a quick inspection.

Harry stood at the bottom of the bed. "What happened?" she asked again.

"We think he was poisoned last night." Harry said. "It looked that way. He was acting all strange saying that he was in love with Romelda Vane of all people. I took him to Professor Slughorn. There was some chocolates left for me and Ron ate them, it was a love potion, Slughorn removed it and gave him a drink and he just collapsed."

Avery moved to reply but was interrupted by the arrival of Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonnagal, Professor Snape and Professor Slughorn.

"Quick thinking Harry." Professor Dumbldore spoke, eyes twinkling, "You probably saved him."

"I agree that Potter's actions were heroic." Professor McGonnagal replied, "But the question is, why were they necessary?"

"This appears to be a gift Horace," Dumbledore said, removing a wrapped wine bottle from Slughorn's hands, "Do you remember who gave it to you? It's smells remarkably like liquorice and cherry, polluted with poison."

"I had intended to give it as a gift myself." Slughorn replied, looking more uncomfortable than Avery had ever seen him.

"To whom?"

"To you headmaster."

Avery swallowed, _what_?

The introspective silence was replaced by the shrill noise of Lavender bursting through the door in much the same fashion that Avery had moments before. "Where is he?" she cried, "Won Won! Has he been asking for me?" Lavender attempted to catch her breath when suddenly her entire demeanor changed, Avery took a step closer to Harry away from the now tense blonde. "What is_ she_ doing here?"

Avery sighed as Hermione immediately rose to the bait, "I might ask you the same question!"

"I happen to be his girlfriend!" Lavender cried, Avery thought she looked a little feral.

"Well I happen to be his friend!" Hermione shot back.

"Please!" Lavender scoffed, "You haven't spoken to him in weeks! I suppose you want to make up now that he's all interesting!"

"He was poisoned! You daft, dimbo!" Avery scrunched her nose, she could have given Hermione some much better choice words to describe the girl before her, "And for the record I have always found him interesting!"

A soft groan from the bed broke everyones attention from the feuding girls.

"See. He senses my presence." Lavender said.

"We can't help but hear your presence." Avery muttered, evidently not quietly enough by the glare sent her way.

"Don't worry Won Won. I'm here." Lavender spoke, leaning over Ginny to get closer to his mumbling form.

It was almost impossible to work out what he was saying but Avery felt a huge grin cross her face when it finally became clear. Hermione. He was asking for Hermione.

Avery couldn't bring herself to feel any sympathy for the girl who had effectively pulled her friendship group apart as she left the room crying.

"Oh to be young and to feel loves keen sting." Dumbledore quipped, "Come everybody, Mr Weasley is well tended."

"About time huh." Ginny grinned, following the professors from the room, trailed by a devastated Slughorn.

Avery grinned, sending a wink towards Hermione who glanced at Harry and herself with a soft, "Shut up."

"Well that seems to be working out well." She whispered to Harry as they made their way towards the door.

Harry wrapped an arm tightly around her shoulders as they moved from the room. "Sorry we couldn't let you know earlier, it was a bit hectic."

Avery nodded, "s'alright." she paused outside the door. "There's no way that Slughorn was trying to poison anyone, right? If the wine was meant for Dumbledore?"

"He said the wine was left for him, last night when he opened it." Harry replied.

"Someone was trying to poison Slughorn? Unless they knew he would try to suck up to Dumbledore?"

"I don't know." Harry replied uneasily, "I really don't."

**...**

That night Avery lounged against the observation towers railing, staring solemnly out across the grounds.

"Why were you called out of class today?" Malfoy asked in lieu of a greeting the moment she sensed his arrival.

She waited until he had folded his arms across the railings before replying. "Not that you'll care but Ron was poisoned."

"What?" he seemed to growl in response, Avery looked at him confusedly and nodded.

"He was given a love potion and cured of that and then he was poisoned. Slughorn had been left some poisoned wine and Ron had some." Avery deliberately left our the information about Dumbledore. That didn't seem like the sort of thing that anyone else needed to know at this moment.

"Who would have done that to the weasel?" Draco asked.

Avery felt a chuckle rise from her chest, "Don't pretend you care, Malfoy."

"I thought we were past the second name thing?"

"Habit." she laughed.

"Is he dead?" Draco asked abruptly, "The weasel?"

"No! Don't you think I'd be much more upset?"

"I don't know how you Gryffindors deal with things do I?" he laughed. Though Avery noticed his smile seemed forced.

"Shut up." she groaned, glancing once again out at the school grounds.

"You could make me."

Avery grinned up at him and moved forward to do just that.

**...**

Avery sighed as she once again felt snow melting against the top of her head. "Stop it Ron! You're making it snow!" Hermione hissed

"Tell me again how I broke up with Lavender?" Ron asked. Avery scoffed a laugh from where she sat next to Harry. "Sssh." Harry chuckled.

"Well she came to the hospital." Hermione explained awkwardly. "You were talking. It wasn't a particularly long conversation."

Avery choked on a laugh again.

"Don't get me wrong." Ron said, "I'm glad to be shot of her but she seems a little... put out."

The group glanced to where the blonde sat in unison and Hermione whispered, "She does doesn't she... So you don't remember anything? From that night?"

"There is something." Ron said hesitently, "But... It can't be. Can it?"

Avery raised an eyebrow in anticipation.

"No." Ron laughed. "I was completely boggled wasn't I."

Avery returned to her book with a sigh as Hermione echoed him, disappointment obvious to everybody except Ron.

"I think it was Malfoy." Harry said, changing the subject right out of the blue.

"What?" Avery hissed, a little too angrily if the startled look Hermione sent her way was anything to go by. "I mean- Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Harry replied. "But he's suspicious isn't he. I've been following him on the Marauders map. He's out every single night, doing Merlin knows what."

Avery felt a slither of ice run down her spine, knowing that many of those times he had been with her. Was it possible to see two people at once on that map? She didn't know. She wasn't even sure if Harry knew that she snuck out at night in the first place. He had no reason to look for her on the map anyways.

"You can't just keep accusing people Harry." Avery said, "It makes it less believable when it's the truth."

"Harry!" Hermione hissed, interrupting whatever he had been about to say "That's Katie... Katie Bell!"

Avery looked to where Hermione gestured, recognizing the girl from the cursed necklace incident. Harry moved to go after the girl, taking his beloved potions book with him.

Avery sighed and moved back to her own book, knowing that Harry would pass on any information he gleamed from the recovered girl. She would not go over there herself, it wouldn't do well to overwhelm her.

Hermione and Ron obviously shared the same idea as they returned, albeit reluctantly in Ron's case to their own work.

The doors opened to admit more students to the hall Draco, blazerless, dragging in behind them, expression solemn however, he moved past Avery quickly dragging a hand against the back of her neck and surreptitiously dropping a folded piece of parchment into her lap as he did so. Avery chuckled as he moved past her only to frown when she noticed him stop suddenly in his tracks eyes fixed widely ahead. On Harry and Katie.

Avery slowly stood from her seat as Harry turned and made eye contact with the Slytherin. "Malfoy." she whispered as he turned a fled quickly from the hall.

"Harry!" she said, louder as her friend followed.

"Ave, leave it." Hermione said. "They'll probably just argue and get caught by a professor. It's not worth it."

Avery nodded and reluctantly sat back down, hoping that nothing bad would happen.

**Abrupt ending but I had to cut it there in order for the next chapter to work.**

**Draco whumpage next, followed by some recovery =] **

**Once again, my timeline is different so please don't point out the changes to me... they were deliberate. Hope you enjoyed =]**

**Potions, ingredients, spells etc from Harry Potter WIKI.**

**What do you think?**

**Thanks for reading! More up soon!**


	29. Shouldn't cry

**And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC**

**Chapter 29- Shouldn't cry**

**Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always." **

**-….-**

**-….-**

Avery was too tense to appreciate the comfort of her favorite chair in the common room. It wasn't often that the chair was empty so she usually reveled in commandeering the seat. Tonight however, the cushions felt hard as stone behind her back as she waited with bated breath for news of what had transpired between Harry and Draco in the hour or so since they had collided in the main hall. No word had been heard from anyone and the silence worried Avery much more than any rumor of a violent duel might.

Avery could see that her other friends felt the same, though undoubtedly in fear for Harry's safety and not that of Draco Malfoy. Of course Avery worried for Harry, she always had since the day they had become friends. Now though, she cared for Draco too and it made the worry double.

"Shouldn't Harry be back by now?" Hermione asked as if reading her mind. She wondered if Hermione had mastered occlumency yet. Probably. Smartest witch of their generation, possibly ever, and all that.

"Yes." Avery grumbled. Eyes on the warm fire. "What if something happened?"

"What if someone got hurt?" Ginny asked, Avery noticed that the youngest Weasley had said 'someone' in the place of 'Harry'. Avery shot her a weak smile.

"Maybe he punched the git." Ron said gleefully. Avery flinched and fisted her hand in the pocket of her robe, frowning when she felt a piece of parchment crumple under her hand. Avery's eyes widened as she remembered Draco dropping the parchment into her lap just minutes before he and Harry fled the great hall. Surreptitiously Avery removed the parchment from her pocket and unfurled it from its scrunched up state.

The written words read:

_Red, _

_Glad to see the ginger one lives, what would the world be without ALL of the Weasley's?_

_That reminds me, when will you remove that lurid dark colour from your own hair?_

_I much prefer it red, Red. _

Avery bit back a grin, trust Draco to make light of something like Ron's hospitalization, despite the sarcastic tone though there was something warm in the note, something akin to relief, even if only for Avery's wellbeing. He knew her well enough to know that she would not handle losing one of her best friends well at all. She had been extremely emotional when Sirius had been taken from them and they had barely had enough time to know him. No one had suffered as badly as Harry though.

Avery was shaken from her thoughts when the door to the common room opened, in unison the three friends turned towards the door eagerly, relieved to see Harry step through. Averys relief was short lived however when she caught sight of the expression on Harry's face.

Her bespeckled friend was pale, skin clammy, his eyes were wide beneath his glasses and he looked... harrowed. Guilty. Ginny immediately jumped up from her spot beside the fire and held tightly to his forearm, as if she expected him to keel over at any time.

"What did you do Harry?" Avery asked, she had seen that face on Harry before and it never lead to anything good.

"Harry, What happened?" Hermione asked too, just milliseconds after Avery.

"I -" Harry stuttered, flopping gracelessly onto a vacant seat, Ginny moving to hover over him worriedly, "I just came from the hospital wing."

"Are you alright?" Hermione gasped as Avery's eyes raked over Harry, searching for any injuries. There was nothing obvious to see. Her heart began to quicken in her chest. One of them, Harry or Draco had been injured if there had been a visit to the hospital wing.

"I'm okay."

"Did you punch the git?" Ron piped up, shaking in his seat like an overeager puppy. Avery frowned but kept her eyes on Harry.

"I nearly killed him." Harry spoke. Ron laughed but Avery felt her stomach drop out from under her. This was no joke or figure of speech as Ron seemed to think.

"I'm serious Ron." Harry barely whispered, words dripping with guilt. "I thought I'd killed him. I - I used a spell and-"

"What spell Harry?" Hermione asked. Avery remained rooted to her seat, a cold sweat breaking out across her forehead, heart a jackrabbit in her chest.

"Sectumsempra."

"I've never heard of it."

"It was in my book. The half blood prince. He said it was for enemies. He tried to curse me and I just used it, I nearly killed him." Harry explained, unable to lift his eyes from where they were trained on his lap, to look at them

"Is- Is he okay?" Avery choked, ignoring the strange look she received from Hermione and the wide eyed- pitying look Ginny sent her way. Though Ginny still didn't understand Avery's attachment to Draco she still had not said anything to anyone and remained although not without her fair share of doubts, supportive.

"I think so. They sent me away."

Avery nodded. There were a number of things that she could have done in that moment, she could have retreated into her room and waited until the morning, she could have pushed down her worry and carried on as if she had never spoken to Draco Malfoy in a civil manner and seen him truly laugh. She could have punched Harry in his stupid, stupid face. Any of the options may have meant a different path, may have meant that her secret stayed that way for longer, may have meant less to Hermione's ever active brain.

But she did none of those things. Her mind buzzing with static, she spoke, "Harry. I need your cloak."

"What?"

"Now."

"Why?"

"Harry." Avery said, desperation coloring her voice even as she fought against it. "I need your cloak."

"Give it to her Harry," Ginny said, "We're going to go and get rid of that book of yours."

Ginny's voice broke Harry from his questioning stare and he accio'd his invisibility cloak without a second thought. Avery barely mumbled her thanks before throwing the cloak over herself and fleeing the common room. She did not notice Hermione's calculating stare as she did so.

She ran, full speed towards the hospital wing, ignoring the way her footsteps echoed in the deserted halls, if someone came along she would be quieter, they would not be able to see her anyway. The utter panic in her heart frightened her, she shouldn't feel for someone like Draco, someone that up until so little time ago had held nothing but animosity towards her and vice versa. It was unbelievable that she ran like this towards him, towards his injuries. She doubted he would ever do that same for her and she had never imagined that she would ever do this for him, but here she was. Such was the surprises in life.

She slowed to a halt as she reached the hospital wing and listened closely for anyone moving around inside. The nurses were perceptive and she couldn't make so much noise that they heard her even if they couldn't see her. She pushed open the main door quietly, sighing when the door hinges did not betray her. The room before her was dark but light enough to see the shapes of the beds to each side of her. Quickly she passed the empty beds and moved straight towards an occupied bed in the corner. She knew in one look that Draco lay there, the moonlight from the small window above his bed seemingly reflecting from his hair.

She swallowed the heavy lump in her throat and moved towards him on shaky legs, dreading what she would find before her. She would barely be able to see if the moon were not in it's current position but in the washed out light she could see that his face was drawn, more pale than she had ever seen him, blood loss, she guessed when she spied the bandaged wrapped tightly around his bare chest. Blood seeping through the biggest bandage. "What did he do to you?" she whispered. Stiffening when she heard footsteps moving towards them. She froze where she was, barely daring to breath as she watched one of the night nurses make her way to the other side of Draco's bed. The nurse used her wand, to check up on Draco Avery thought. Seemingly satisfied the nurse moved away and Avery let out the breath she had been holding. She moved to the chair beside his bed and sat down silently, still covered by Harry's cloak. She took the moment to look him over properly, apart from the obvious he looks broken down, exhausted, like this is the best sleep he has gotten in a long while. Draco Malfoy is many things, most of them bad and Avery knows, she knows without a doubt that when it comes down to it and it will come down to it in the end, they will be on opposite sides, she and Draco. They are, or will be in the oncoming climate, enemies. But seeing Draco like this, looking so young and small tugs at Avery's heart. She is suddenly so grateful that Draco had turned up in the tower that first night, that he had continued to worm his way into her affections and life outside of class, because had he not, she would not be here now and she cannot bear to think of him alone like this.

Avery wipes a stray tear from her cheek and sniffs, wanting badly to reach out and take a pale hand in hers. They've kissed, they do kiss, and it's great but to be here now, to reach out and provide comfort even if he is unaware of it is more intimate than Avery can explain.

"Avery?" Draco mumbled from his bed, his voice laced with pain and underline with what was no doubt a strong painkiller. Avery stopped her on coming sigh and held herself still, perhaps he was just hallucinating. "I know you're there." She blinked when she noticed his eyes turned towards exactly where she is sat and had to fight the urge to check she is still covered by the cloak.

"Yeah" she whispered, "I'm here."

"I know." Draco smiled dreamily, probably not feeling much pain due to some spell or drug given to him, "I always know when you're around. Her hair is so bright."

Avery smiled tearily and sniffed again "It's dark in here."

"I always know." Came the raspy but insistent reply. "Don't cry. She's too pretty to cry. Why is the moon smiling?"

Avery choked back a chuckle, if she didn't know better she would think Malfoy was drunk. "Go to sleep, Draco." she said softly, soothingly, so as not to attract attention.

"M'not tired." He replied, even as his voice softened with sleep.

Avery smiled as Malfoy opened his mouth again even with his eyes clamped shut, "Shouldn't cry." Then his breathing evened out and he was sleeping again. Avery moved and ran a soft hand through his hair. She leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his clammy forehead, "Night Draco." She whispered before settling back down into the uncomfortable chair, Harry's cloak shielding her a little from the chill. She wasn't leaving him tonight.

...

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